Everybody has one. There's a game you absolutely love for all the ways it entertains, surprises, and delights you with its digital splendor. You easily rank it among your favorite games of all time - but there's that one thing that it gets totally wrong. Maybe's it's a particular boss, or level, or cringe-worthy bit of dialogue ("I don't have time to explain why I don't have time to explain", anyone?). And while it's not significant enough to ruin the entire experience, these shortcomings can be a glaring blemish on an otherwise amazing experience.

And that's ok. No game is perfect, and many titles excel despite that one obvious flaw that might otherwise hold them back. Doesn't mean we can't still call these games out on their screw-ups, though. We've rounded up some flawed favorites that the GR+ editors hold dear, and it's time to get these conflicted feelings off our collective chests. If you've played any of these games, you'll definitely know what we're talking about.

Psychonauts is delightful. It's funny, charming, endearing - the very definition of quirky. Though its levels are a bit uneven (one simply cannot compare Milla's Dance Party with the brilliance that is The Milkman Conspiracy or even Lungfishopolis) and its platforming is pretty standard fare, but it's nearly impossible to beat Psychonauts for sheer, unbridled creativity. Does it really matter that it relies on tropes like collectibles when you have such memorable characters and visual style? Nope, not a bit.

Psychonauts' controls were never overly crisp, but whatever you were doing and wherever you were doing it was interesting enough to balance your frustration. Until you reach The Meat Circus, that is. The final level of Psychonauts is, to be blunt, complete bullshit. The first section of the Meat Circus combines three of the worst elements in video game design: it's timed, it's an escort mission, and it has a terrible camera. It's the culmination of Psychonauts' engaging story, and it's so unfun that it makes you wonder if you really, truly need to see Raz emerge victorious. Tossing the controller to the side and imagining your own ending to this otherwise wonderful gaming experience is a far better option than slogging through its finale.

Assassin's Creed 2 might just be my favorite game. I'd stopped playing my PS3 altogether for a few months, but I picked it back up for AC2 and was suddenly transported to Renaissance Italy. Freerunning was a revelation. Da Vinci was designing my weapons. I was a master of stealth stabbing. Florence! Venice! Tuscany! Gosh, am I in Rome?

And then. The finale I like to forget. Look away if you'd rather I didn't spoil a six-year-old game. After spending hours in beautiful atmospheric cities, taking in the sights from the Piazza San Marco, upgrading endless shiny weapons, the pinnacle of the game was… having a fist fight with the Pope. An extended, awkward fist fight where an old man kept falling down and letting you punch him. From the sublime to the utterly ridiculous. I was cowering in embarrassment. It started stupid. It ended worse. And to top it all off? Ezio didn't even kill Pope Borgia. Ugh.

Despite numerous redesigns and lengthy delays, Conviction emerged as a wonderfully fresh start for the Splinter Cell series. Its emphasis on aggressive, Bourne Identity-inspired stealth set the template for almost all subsequent sneaking games because... well, it feels so damn satisfying to play. Conviction hits some great story beats too, and they play out over a host of thoughtfully designed levels. Well, apart from one particular stage which is as baffling as it is unnecessary: the flashback to Iraq.

Having just eased players into the new, free-flowing stealth, Conviction yanks them out of the groove and into an awkwardly designed third-person shooter stage, clumsily shoehorned into the narrative as a flashback. It's clear that the developer is trying to shock players - shooting? In a Splinter Cell game? Oh Mr. Darcy, I am undone - especially given the cheeky reveal at the mission's climax. Sadly it all falls hideously flat, like a harmless prank resulting in the loss of your friend's index finger. Why? Because Splinter Cell is built to be a stealth game, and it plays awfully as a shooter. Stick to what you know, people!

While it might be quaint by today's standards set by Far Cry, Grand Theft Auto and Skyrim, Rockstar's wild frontier offered enviable freedom to simply be, while it was sculpted enough to showcase a beautiful story of revenge and (unsurprisingly) redemption. This is a world punctuated by rolling, layered thunderstorms that fill a wide sky uncluttered by towering buildings or mountains, populated by eccentric and damaged characters integral to your cause. It was the first hint of the procedural gameplay we now take for granted (a hare, being chased by a dog, being chased by a wolf), and features a soundtrack that could make a man weep.

So it's a crying shame that all this beauty, this sheer openness and offering of choice, couldn't be betrayed to funnel players towards some of its most memorable beats. My crossing the border into Mexico, backed by lilting guitars, went from breathtaking to broken as I galloped across the land - and promptly fell off my horse for one reason or another and died, spawning ahead of where I was and thus missing out on what my mates had said was a profound moment. I swore at the busted checkpoint system, but Rockstar couldn't have segued into a long cutscene, or forced my horse to trot rather than tear ahead. That's the exact opposite of a wild frontier. Really, though, the checkpoint system wasn't the one thing that was broken about Red Dead Redemption: it was me.

God of War 3 may not be a perfect game, but it's a fitting closing chapter to Kratos' campaign of rage and revenge (Ragevengeance? Your move, Kojima). Yeah, Kratos may have made another unnecessary pit stop in Hades, but it's a mere blip on his 'Greek Pantheon Murder Tour 2010', as he works his way from god to god, ripping off heads or bashing in skulls. It's super violent, cheesy stuff, but when he pays the ultimate sacrifice to finally off Zeus at the end of his quest, it's kind of poetic. Sure, he's murdered everyone, but in doing so, he has unleashed untold terrors on the Earth. He lays on the ground, bleeding out as the world falls apart around him. It's a bold move to end on, but dammit, it works. And now, we close the book on Kratos' saga...

Except we don't. Halfway through the credits, we go back to Kratos' resting place - only he's not there any more. The camera pans across a trail of blood, off the side of the mountain, and out toward the horizon where storms rage across the ocean. Surprise! Kratos isn't dead, and he's off to go and brood somewhere else. Whatever emotional impact that ending had was ripped away because Sony Santa Monica was afraid to just let the series end here, instead deciding to toss a question mark on this supposed epilogue. I wanted this moment to finally provide closure for Kratos. Now? I just don't care any more.

ModNation's amazing track builder lets you make pretty much anything you can think of. Fantastic user-created content is up-voted by the community, you can download other people's amazing work for free (if they let you, which most do), and it all looks beautiful, with countless objects you can place in its world. ModNation has everything it needs to be the best racer ever.

Except for the racing. Yes, facepalm indeed. The racing is best described as adequate. The sense of speed, powerslide-y fun-ness (yes, that is the scientific term), and weapon set are all perfunctory. Par for the course. Only they're not really par for the course, because - as we've just explored - the course itself is amazing. So this is more like a bogey, if for some reason we're using a golfing analogy for a racing game. A great big bogey on an otherwise beautiful face. That sums it up quite nicely.

As someone whose idea of a good time is scouring the internet for innovative Final Fantasy Tactics character builds, I was enchanted by Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. This remake of the 1995 Super Famicom classic is, by all accounts, excellent. There's a ton of tactical depth to discover in how you customize your fighters, and the localization of Ogre's Shakespearean plot is masterfully handled. I'd probably still be playing it today, were it not for one glaring, irredeemable flaw: the item crafting.

Item crafting in Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is laughably tedious; a cruel joke that reveals the developers' long-repressed masochistic tendencies. What should've taken 60 seconds and a few button presses lasts forever, as an unholy trifecta of unnecessary menus, animations, and redundancies suck all joy from your life. Why can't I craft multiple items at once? Why do I have to watch this stupid animation of the item being made every time? Why do the menus not default to 'Yes' when I click through them so I can at least watch Netflix while making 700 iron-freaking-ingots?

The Arkham series perfectly captures the best aspects of Batman: his diverse Rogues Gallery, detective skills, cool gadgets, and knack for walloping thugs into unconsciousness. And Batman: Arkham City strikes the perfect balance between focused crime-fighting and aimless exploration, as you have the freedom to grapple atop any building and take flight from on high. So I can understand why the AR Training challenges exist: miniature trials that require you to cape-glide along a set path, teaching you subtle altitude-shifting techniques in the process.

But good God, are they no fun. The first set of AR lines is simple enough, giving you the confidence that maybe you've mastered the art of flight. Then, like a cruel math teacher transitioning from simple addition to abstract algebra, the AR Training Advanced courses drop you into extensive, bafflingly difficult flight missions that you will never complete on the first try. Maybe if you could instantly restart post-failure, the Advanced runs wouldn't be so bad - but nope, you've got to hoof it back to the starting line every single time you fall (and you will fall). You know who else spent his time flying through rings suspended in midair? Superman. And look where that got him.

For a game that rattles with vibrant, larger-than-life battles and outlandish one-upmanship between one spectacle and the next, Asura's Wrath is somehow a coherent, even touching story. The central character - a betrayed and fallen god - barrels through life, death, and even the moon in his blind rage, and it all leads to an apocalyptic showdown in (what else?)... OUTER SPACE. The writers bring an absurd revenge plot to a close without getting preachy or crushing any sympathy you had for the protagonist, and fully embrace the game's habit of transforming deities into boss fights. Yup, Asura's Wrath has a great ending. That you have to buy. Separately.

Perhaps Capcom's calculated exclusion of a vital part of the game is meant to bring you closer to Asura, closer to the rage of learning - at the last minute - that you've been tricked. It's not that DLC exists to extend the game, I can live with that, but that it's coldly inserted at the moment you'd want it the most. The fiscal cut-off in Capcom's design wasn't well received, of course, but the worst thing is that it proved the cynical doom-view of DLC: Someone really did chop out the ending of a game to make some extra money.

Overall, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker does a remarkable job of adapting the PS2-era MGS formula to PlayStation Portable. Rather than presenting a scaled-down version of the traditional sneaking mission, Peace Walker breaks up Snake's Central American exploits into a series of brief operations. And Mother Base, complete with staff to manage and a Metal Gear to build, keeps you invested even without a grand objective like infiltrating Groznyj Grad to command your attention.

Unfortunately, one aspect of this adaptation is far less successful, and it brings the rest of the game down with it: Peace Walker's boss battles are terrible. Most of them are against a forgettable series of giant robots and, unless you have co-op buddies to help you, each robot fight is glacial - they're not particularly hard, they just take forever. But the most heinous sin of Peace Walker's boss fights is their utter lack of personality. Metal Gear boss battles are supposed to be tough, emotionally exhausting narrative payoffs, not rote Monster Hunter-imitating loot hunts. And yet here I am, shooting rockets at the same dull mecha for the dozenth time, farming AI cores. It's just not right.

Final Fantasy 10 is a contender for my favorite game of all time. It came around at just the right time in my youth to grab me with its stellar art, strategic gameplay, and wonderfully realized storyline, and it hasn't let me go since. Even fifteen years after its initial release <(i>hurk), it's aged beautifully, and the budding romance that develops between its adorably dorky protagonists is one of the most genuine and touching I've ever seen in any game. It's an amazing title and would basically be perfect, if only we didn't have to experience the god-awful voice-acting.

No, really, it's awful. So bad that when I recommend this game to others (which I do a lot), I always preface it with a warning to look past the voice work. Granted, it was the first Final Fantasy game to have voice talent, so some issues are expected. But between Tidus' Shatner-esque delivery and the fact that Yuna constantly sounds like she's buffering, it's hard to ignore. Plus, the lip-syncing is so off that some characters only make sounds after their mouths stop moving. Bless Rikku's Tara Strong for being a shining beacon of quality, or my mute button might've gotten a lot more exercise.

If seasons had personalities, summer would be bombastic and carefree - the Ferris Bueller of seasons. It's the time of year that begs you to go on new adventures, take chances, and meet new friends. We associate a lot of things with different seasons, like music, movies and books. But what about video games? Surely there must be an equivalent to your 'Summer Fun Time Jams 9' playlist within the video game world?

Well good news everyone, there absolutely is. Summer isn't quite here yet, but, if you're like me, you take every opportunity to roll out the welcome mat in anticipation the greatest time of year. So kick up your feet, pour yourself a tall glass of lemonade, and get ready for a list of the best games to get you stoked for summer.

Few games embody everything that is summer better than Animal Crossing. Even when your little village is covered in snow and sadness, there is something so inherently beachy about the relaxed pace that Animal Crossing saunters along at. It's the fact that, despite having breezy tunes and graphics so cuddly you can feel them, Animal Crossing captures summer in its gameplay as much as its aesthetic. Days spent gardening, fishing, or just idling chatting with friends - all of these perfectly represent what we associate with the season.

Animal Crossing finds a way of making work feel like pleasure, and then punctuates that with a sprinkling of social gatherings like fireworks festivals and bug catching contests. If winter is the time of year to shut off all ties and hole up in your house in front of the TV, summer is the season to get out there and make some new friends. And Animal Crossing is just bursting with friends.

Grease's Summer Nights, summer flings, and the 1967 Summer of Love all make one thing perfectly clear: summer is the season for romance. And what game captures all those tingly feelings better than Persona 4? By the time summer rolls around in-game, you're likely exhausted from keeping up with school, relationships, and - oh yeah - solving a murder. But just under half way through your year in Inaba, summer arrives and gives you a well deserved rest.

Everyone has fond memories of their summer vacations, and Persona 4 deftly taps into that nostalgia to remind us all of our younger years. Days spent at the beach, breezy nights hanging out with friends, and that blossoming romance with the cutie you've had a crush on since the semester started; it's all there and waiting to tug at your heartstrings. Just like in real life, you relish the extra free time summer vacation provides. And when the start of a new school year looms only days away, you'll remember the dread we were all filled with as the greatest two months came to a close.

This one is a bit obvious, don't you think? While some of the entries on the list have a bit of nuance to how they evoke the feeling of summer, Super Mario Sunshine is as bold as a mojito. A major departure from the more vanilla flavor of Mario games, Isle Delfino is a gorgeous resort community begging to be explored.

Not only that, but Mario's FLUDD is basically a giant Super Soaker - what else do you need? All Super Mario Sunshine is missing at this point is freezie pops so delicious you'll gladly suffer the painful cuts on your mouth just to have one.

If you've never had the opportunity to go to a beach and build a sand castle, stop what you're doing, close this article, and do whatever it takes to make that happen. I don't care how much a plane ticket costs, just do it.

You're back? Amazing, yes? Building sand castles is the official pastime of summer, and Minecraft is basically one big virtual sand castle. There is something so serenely mesmerizing about building something piece by piece. Before you know it, hours have melted away like the ice in your iced tea, and you're left with a sense of accomplishment. Turn off survival mode and let your creativity take you on a journey. Minecraft, like summer, is the the perfect opportunity to pick a direction and strike out on your own path. Who knows where your feet will take you?

The summer without a body of water to spend it with is a tragedy. Millions of people travel every year just to make sure that doesn't happen. For one second, let's pretend that you find yourself in a position in which you are unable to soak up some sun before a great blue sea. What do you do? You play The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, of course!

Nintendo's charmingly cartoony take on Zelda is the perfect game for those desperate to cool off from the blistering summer sun. An endless ocean, a world teeming with vibrant characters, and an absorbing quest as good as any book all make for a perfect way to kill a long weekend.

Harvest Moon and its spin off, Story of Seasons, could probably be found on the winter, spring, and fall equivalents of this list with how easily they evoke those seasons. But the first summer of a new game is always the most special.

There is a sense of community that begins building around summer, as the game finally begins to let go of the reins and let the player drive. You begin to feel more at ease with your farming routine, become more comfortable chatting with the villagers, and best of all, your love interest. But Harvest Moon also deserves recognition for not only capturing the feel of summer, but the sounds too. Walks through the forest to collect delicious fruit are accompanied by chirping cicadas, singing birds, and some of the catchiest music you've ever heard.

Those of you living in climates that are unsavory for large portions of the year will no doubt appreciate the moment you can drive with the windows down, letting the brisk air cool you off. It's the ultimate sign of summer's approach. Burnout Paradise is that moment captured and programmed into a video game.

It's the kind of game that you can sit down with for an hour and accomplish absolutely nothing yet still have a great time. Driving and crashing around the urban sprawl of Paradise City is a joy in itself, and the game's soundtrack perfectly complements every moment. So roll down those windows, step on the gas, and t-bone that semi truck at 90mph. You can thank me for it later.

Studio Ghibli and Level-5 have proven themselves masters at painting with emotion. With an almost careless ease, the two studios brought the world of Ni No Kuni to life in rich detail. The characters are imaginative and fun, and the world is enchanting. All of this culminates in a game that is as hard to leave behind as a summer vacation.

Ni No Kuni is the video game equivalent of a road trip. You pile in for an adventure, and, from the window of your car, you see a whole world beyond your doorstep pass by. For many, it is that moment that you begin to understand just how small you are, but as Ni No Kuni is quick to teach you: even the smallest of things is capable of greatness.

If this list didn't inspire you to start working on your 'Summer Fun Time James 10' playlist and dust off your flip-flops, I just don't know what will. Whether you love or hate it, summer is well on its way, and for those of you looking to get an early start the games on this list are a perfect way to help get you in the mood. Of course, I'm sure you probably have your own ideas for what gets you all riled up for barbecues and days spent lounging around in open fields. So what are you waiting for? Slip and slide your way into the comments and let us know what your favorite go-to games are for capturing that summer spirit!

Summer's nearly here, and you're no doubt wanting to take a break from the humdrum tedium of your daily routine. What you need is a vacation. Maybe you're dreaming of a sun-soaked beach that lulls you into a state of blissful relaxation with its swaying palm trees and churning waves. Or perhaps you're picturing a mountain retreat; a quiet, serene place to unplug and enjoy some self-reflection. Video games can offer these kinds of exotic getaways, you know - but they usually turn out to be a lot less tranquil than you might hope.

Virtual vacation spots seem prone to becoming the epicenter of some harrowing catastrophe, ruining all those plans for leisure activities in the process. So whatever you do, don't book a flight to one of these resorts if you cherish your summer vacation. Or hey, maybe you like to live a little bit dangerously - in which case, these perilous retreats will ensure that you spend every minute of your time off really appreciating the value of life itself.

This dolphin-shaped tropical paradise has it all: friendly natives, gorgeous beaches, and local agriculture that produces fruit the size of your head. But even when it's not being terrorized by a translucent vandal and his giant paintbrush, or running rampant with ink-infested wildlife, Isle Delfino would still be a questionable vacation spot. For starters, there's Corona Mountain, a live volcano that could ostensibly bury the entire island under a blanket of molten lava at any time. And Hotel Delfino, which is pretty much the only tourist lodging in town, is lousy with the hostile spirits of the dead. You're also very likely to get sprayed by an Italian plumber's back-mounted hose for absolutely no reason, which is a guaranteed day-ruiner.

Checking in to the Lakeview Hotel seems like the start to a quiet, relaxing stay in the foggy little town of Silent Hill. You've got a gorgeous view of the scenic Toluca Lake, with Maine's majestic forests in one direction and a short walk to the Lakeside Amusement Park in the other. But if you leave your room to refill the ice bucket in the middle of the night, you might encounter some rather psyche-scarring scenes. Interiors covered in rust and grime; guests who look like walking piles of skin moaning as they shamble through the halls. Maybe you should've paid attention to all those TripAdvisor reviews that complained about otherworldly horrors and the guilt-induced revelations that come with them.

Are you an affluent caucasian who some might label as a 'grade-A douchebag'? Do you enjoy flying like paper and getting high like planes? Then you should never, ever visit the Rook Islands, because you will almost assuredly end up as the ransomed captive of some deranged modern-day pirates. I know it's tempting, what with the jet ski rentals, scuba diving through picturesque reefs, hang gliding lessons, and the ultimate finale: skydiving from 12,500 feet, with a full view of the gorgeous archipelago. But I assure you that the hard landing isn't worth it, because you'll probably get picked up by . Also, he's definitely going to confiscate your phone.

Theme parks always heat up during the summer, when school's out and the sun is shining. But Horrorland seems to be trapped in a state of perpetual night, looking a bit like Universal Studio's Wizarding World of Harry Potter if it revolved around R.L. Stine's brand of kid-friendly creepiness. Attractions include Werewolf Village, where children are constantly getting trapped in meat lockers, and a 'Coffin Cruise' through the moat of a castle lorded over celebrity vampires: Jeff Goldblum and Blue Velvet's Isabella Rossellini. Best of all, the price of a single admission effectively becomes a lifetime pass, since Horrorland has the power to magically warp you back onto its haunted fairgrounds should you ever escape.

Golden sand, crystal blue skies, fluffy white clouds. Zach Fair isn't able to appreciate any of these idyllics sights on the beach of Costa del Sol, because he's too busy fending off hordes of overgrown sea worms. What should be some much-deserved RR for this elite SOLDIER operative always seems to break out into a battle on the coast - though Zach doesn't mind, seeing as it's a reprieve from the relative boredom of his chaperoned holiday. And because Shinra's exclusive resort wasn't built with combat in mind, Zach's forced to use a retracted sun umbrella as a sword. If anyone's genuinely enjoying themselves on this trip, it's those gamers who swoon at the rare sight of Zach's shirtless six-pack.

The road to a terrible vacation is typically paved with good intentions. Alan Wake's a best-selling author who's stuck in an unproductive rut, and his wife Alice thinks a trip to the remote mountain town of Bright Falls will help him break through his writer's block. Clearly, Alice has never seen The Shining or Secret Window. Within an hour of arriving at Bird Leg Cabin on Cauldron Lake, the couple's trip descends into shadowy madness, with Alice getting mysteriously abducted and Alan slowly losing his mind on account of a Dark Presence. All that being said, Alan did finally sit down and write that novel he was thinking about, so... mission accomplished!

At face value, this verdant island off the coast of Papua New Guinea seems to be the destination that'll live up to your most luxurious vacation fantasies. Imagine: sunbathing at the five-star Royal Palms Resort during the day, and enjoying the expletive-riddled rapping of star performer Sam B. at night. Of course, you'll need to turn a blind eye to the crime and gang violence that runs rampant in the nearby city of Moresby, and the fact that there's an Alcatraz-style prison island (surrounded by live mines) not too far up the coast. Also, the indigenous tribes have been practicing for generations, which eventually leads to one of those pesky zombie outbreaks that plunges all of Banoi into bedlam. There's nothing like being at zombie ground zero to put a damper on your paid time off.

Welcome, welcome! Let me show you to your room; don't mind the cultist messages scrawled in the walls. And here we arrrrrrRRRROH MY GOD A BEAR! IT'S EATING ME! IT'S EATING ME ALIVE!

For all the flashy graphics, cool moves, and complex combos, a fighting game is only as good as its cast. Without a strong roster of compelling, unique fighters to choose from, brawls will end up feeling kinda 'meh'. But Capcom's legendary Street Fighter series has always offered a diverse range of awesome characters - and it looks like will be no different. Whereas Street Fighter 4 put a lot of emphasis on its eccentric newcomers, SF5 looks like it'll bring back old favorites - with a few new twists.

Only a handful of fighters have been revealed so far, but rumors are always afoot about who might secure a spot in the roster. We've rounded up all the for-sure fighters who will be in SF5 - and just for the fun of it, included our picks for some hopefuls (or ridiculous long-shots) that might make a return. So, which character will you be choosing as your go-to main? Time to make your selection.

These guys and gals will definitely be in Street Fighter 5.

It simply wouldn't be Street Fighter without series frontman Ryu. With his iconic gi, noble fighting spirit, and fireballs aplenty, Ryu is back to kick some butt in SF5. As always, his suite of specials - hadokens, shoryukens, and hurricane kicks - make him a well-rounded fighter that can deal with any situation, against any opponent. Ryu's the kind of character that appeals to beginners and veterans alike, thanks to his versatility and timeless moveset.

In SF5, Ryu seems to have retained his signature moves - including his normal attacks, such as the crouching medium kick that easily combos into a point-blank hadoken. Though not much has been disclosed about the so-called 'V-Trigger' ability in SF5, it seems to provide fighters with a burst of elemental power. Fittingly, Ryu's V-Trigger is themed around lightning, which makes us think of the old .

The first lady of fighting games is back, and it looks like her kung fu is better than ever. You no doubt know Chun-Li for her adorable hair buns, spiked bracelets, and thigh muscles that look beefy enough to snap bones like twigs. Like Ryu, Chun-Li has her standard special moves at the ready: lightweight kikoken projectiles, lightning legs that strike like a machine gun, and a variety of tricky flip kicks that can throw opponents off-balance.

Her playstyle favors agility over big damage, but Chun-Li's more than capable of some devastating combos and meaty hits. Counter to Ryu's lightning-based V-Trigger, Chun-Li seems to enhance herself with the power of flowing water, which makes her Spinning Bird Kick look like a whirlpool of death. It also look like she's got a few new normal attacks, such as a peculiar crouching fierce(?) punch that slides her ever-so-slightly forward.

In English versions of Street Fighter, he's Charlie; in Japanese, he's Nash. Convenient, then, that his full name clears up any possibility of mistaken identity. Charlie is a staple of the Street Fighter Alpha series, before he met a heroic end saving Guile and Chun-Li from a fatal explosion. So if he's dead, how is he back for SF5? One look at his new form, which appears to be bits and pieces of rotting flesh stapled together like Frankenstein's monster, should provide some answers.

Not only has Charlie's appearance changed - he also has some new game-changing special moves in addition to his previous toolkit of sonic booms and flash kicks. Through some kind of strange magic (no doubt related to the jewel embedded in his forehead), Charlie can now teleport around the screen for devious mix-up opportunities. He's also got what looks like a descending flash kick, as well as a face-electrifying command grab. Crazy!

For us, the moment M. Bison returned to Street Fighter was the most important day of our lives. But for him... it was Tuesday. The classic big bad of Street Fighter is back, and that head of white hair under his trademark cap indicates that yes, the ol' dictator can actually age. Known for his mighty Psycho Crusher and unrelenting Scissor Kicks, M. Bison is the perfect fit for players that like to apply pressure on their opponents and never let up.

In addition to his lightning-fast teleport, it looks like Bison will have another tool to get close to fighters that like to keep him at bay: a projectile reflector that sends a burst of Psycho energy back at whoever's chucking fireballs. And his V Trigger mode appears to let Bison unleash his raw Psycho power on the poor opponent, complete with devastating double-headstomps and additional hits on his Scissor Kicks.

Acting as the American yin to Ryu's Japanese yang, Ken Masters is as much a part of the series as his trusty sparring partner. His trademark fiery dragon punch is always a crowd-pleaser, and Ken's quicker hurricane kicks offer just enough variety to distinguish his Shotokan fighting style from Ryu's (they did study under the same master, after all). Plus, what would flowchart following gamers do without him?

Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! Tiger Uppercut! With the way people gravitated to him when SF4 first debuted, Sagat seems like a no-brainer addition to the hypothetical SF5 roster. Less of a villain and more of a principled antihero, Sagat's eye patch, scar, and obsession with moves named after large feral cats are all a well-established part of Street Fighter lore. We're just hoping that, if he is in SF5, he won't be as overpowered as he was in his first SF4 incarnation.

Of the four brand-new fighters to be introduced in the Street Fighter 4 roster, Viper's the one with the most staying power. Capcom set out to create a cool, technically complex heroine that felt like she could belong in the King of Fighters universe, and the result was a hit with players who don't mind difficult inputs for combos. Plus, her part in Marvel vs. Capcom 3 made her something of a hit - her crazy Seismic Hammer and Thunder Knuckle setups are always a sight to behold.

Believe it or not, Poison had never been playable until Street Fighter X Tekken (unless you somehow picked up the ridiculously obscure Final Fight Revenge). But popular demand spurred Yoshinori Ono to include her in the game, and the resulting elation following her announcement was an encouraging sign for fans of the transgendered fighter. Now, with two fighting games under her belt - including a strong showing in Ultra Street Fighter 4 - there's no reason Poison can't come back for SF5.

Here's another female fighter who should totally stick around for SF5. Ibuki makes up for her relatively weak damage by having some of the trickiest mobility in the game, letting a skilled player dash circles around their confused opponent. Adding her to the Super Street Fighter 4 roster was a stroke of genius, and her aerial attacks and kunai-tossing work just as well in 2.5D as they do in regular ol' 2D.

Alright, we could probably go on stating obvious character inclusions all day. Blanka, Zangief, E. Honda, Dhalsim - we have no doubt in our minds that they'd make the cut for SF5, and if they're ever confirmed, we'll gladly add them to the list. But it's interesting to hypothesize about the borderline characters; fighters who have enough clout to sneak their way into the SF5 roster. The more the merrier, we say, so if Capcom sees fit to include the followings fighters, we'd be delighted.

Despite only appearing in Street Fighter Alpha 3, Karin’s a fan favorite who never misses the chance to demean her assailants. Born into the rich Kanzuki family, Karin fancies herself to be Sakura's rival after Sakura trounced her in a scuffle. Like Dudley, she’s always accompanied by her loyal butler; unlike Dudley, she rarely treats her butler with much respect. But all is forgiven when you see her crazy kick loops in the corner!

Everyone's favorite loincloth-wearing tyrant deserves to make the jump to 3D. Ever since he debuted in Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact, he's been a fairly popular mid-to-high-tier character, knee-dropping and Chariot Tackle-ing his opponents into oblivion. His Aegis Reflector super move can also be a game-changer, bouncing back incoming projectiles and setting up nasty unblockables on knockdown. We'd gladly welcome this metal-controlling megalomaniac into the SF5 roster.

When it comes to Capcom games, Maki’s been around the digital block. First appearing in Final Fight 2 as an analogue for the absent Guy, Maki resurfaced in Capcom vs SNK 2 before finally landing a gig in the Street Fighter lineage, with a slot in the Street Fighter Alpha 3 ports for the Game Boy Advance and PSP. Like Guy, she's another disciple of the Bushin-ryu style, using her tonfa to lay the smackdown on Mad Gear goons and rivals alike. Maki and Ibuki would get along like ninja peas in a pod.

It seems like SF fans have been quietly waiting to see the triumphant return of Q. This terribly mysterious fighter might be man, machine, or monster - no one's seen underneath his metal mask and lived to tell about it. His fighting style is also quite unlike any other character in the series' history: a sort of lanky, lumbering brute that can withstand absurd amounts of punishment when played correctly. Something tells us that Q is just enough of an oddball sleeper hit to make it into the next game.

This zany pro wrestler has only appeared in Street Fighter Alpha 3, but she gets a nod in SFxT via Kuma's alternate costume. With her ridiculously impractical attire and a grappling style fashioned after Zangief's piledrivers, R. Mika deserves life in 3D for the next crossover. Like Hugo, she utilizes her butt as a weapon, flinging herself into the opponent backside first for maximum damage. It's all for her fans, and the Japanese wrestler's moxie comes through in her win quotes: "Don't underestimate me! I believe in my dreams!"

So, which fighter are you planning to play as (or hoping makes a comeback)? Let us know in the comments below!

And if you're looking for more, check out .

Video games can take us to some pretty incredible places to do some pretty incredible things, huh? But what's with this odd trend that's cropping up, whereby we spend much of our time trawling through grim post-apocolyptias or ticking off objectives on an ever-expanding do to list? As much as you might like to travel around and see new worlds, sometimes you just want to hit up some sun-kissed climes, kick off your shoes and relax. Of course, when we're talking about open world video games this equates to causing as much chaos as possible with as many toys and as few prompts as possible. Enter Just Cause 3.

It'd be all too easy to assume that Rico's third outing might be naught but a shrill rehashing of what's gone before. But having played it we'd argue that now more than ever this B-movie brand of bombast will turn out one of the must-visit virtual holiday destinations of the year. From the immediately arresting locale, by way of its one-man-army action hero, through to its alarmingly free-form toy-box of destruction, Just Cause 3 aims to push all the escapist buttons.

The fictional Mediterranean island that Just Cause 3 unfolds upon is actually the homeland of the series' returning main character, Rico Rodriguez. Veterans of JC2 won't be too surprised to learn that it is vast, almost unnaturally so. In terms of numbers it weighs in at a solid 400 square miles, which is about the same as the previous game's Panau. Here though the literal depth (there are cavernous winding cave systems carved out beneath the island to explore), is a core team focus.

Above all though the aim appears to be to craft a world we'll want to get lost/distracted in. It's only after time spent actively blazing a trail through Medici, grappling aground explosive spiralling outpost battles, or parachuting through gorgeous sun-bleached villas and beachfronts, that you'll realise something: you haven't looked at your mini-map in yonks. The world is vibrant enough, and readable enough on its own. You don't need map-markers and progress gauges to make it worth your while exploring.

One of the first things that Roland Lesterlin, the game's director, showed us as we sat down to lay eyes on Just Cause 3 for the first time, was a screen-filling explosion. Now, we've seen our fair share of Hollywood-scale destruction, but this was something else. Atop a mountain peak Rico discovered a fuel storage outpost, with giant orbular silos loaded with fire juice arranged conveniently in a square. A few well-place rocket launcher rounds and a chain reaction of destruction began. Hot orange fires bubbles billowed and throbbed outward and into each other. It kept going, too, for what seemed like minutes.

"Yeah," said Lesterlin, sighing proudly as one of the storage silos broke away and began rolling down the mountainside, demolishing forestry in its path. " We broke our first build with that one."

For all the plaudits handed out to Rico off the back of Just Cause 2, his ability to hold together a story, was never one of them. As much care as you could give to carefully aligning a propane gas tank to allow for optimal ricocheting carnage, it was rare the player who could find an emotional touchstone with the chiselled action hero, regardless of whichever dictator he was aimed at.

In Just Cause 3, however, the stakes have shifted a little. Medici is Rico's homeland, so expect a few characters from his past to show up along the way. We're not expecting Shakespeare here, but there's more of an opportunity for story beats to occur. Not that it'll matter too much. The real stories are the ones we'll craft ourselves...

OK, so we're aware how much of a non-problem this is, but we had Far Cry 4's wingsuit spoilt by the short time we got to play Just Cause 3. Rico's newest bit of kit, intended to facilitate faster movement when in the air, is already one of the most invigorating and active traversal mechanics we've had the pleasure of playing with.

We say active, as whenever you deploy it there's a very real possibility that you'll end up plastered to the side of a mountain or with your face spread out across half a mile of asphalt. You have to keep yourself under control, maintaining speed through dipping downwards, whilst also sustaining enough air to let you reach your intended destination. One of our favourite moments when playing was wingsuiting through a challenge mission, practically singeing Rico's chest hairs on tarmac as we flew under and through a cliff side tunnel. It's exactly the kind of tool to allow for shareable, impossible stunts.

It's such a small tweak to the formula. Honestly, when you hear what's changed you'll shrug. But stick with us. Now, rather than simply grapple one thing to another, Rico can do so and then actively retract his deployed rope with a press of a trigger to pull the two things together.

At first this led to us catapulting enemies off of cliff sides or into trees. But it wasn't long before we were thinking much, much bigger. Rocks with C4 attached to them were catapulted over fenced off enemy territories. Cars were attached to helicopters for us to stand atop as we rained down rocketry. At one point we even put together a kind of morbid Just Married set up, with our car laden with jangling rag-dolled citizens dragging behind us as we drove into the sunset. FUN.

Let’s say you're driving your 4x4 down a through a winding span of villages. Suddenly you have an idea. Wouldn't it be great if I could cruise through here in a vintage sports car? On fire? With C4 attached? And off that cliff? And then into that enemy base from above?

Thankfully your propensity for madcap impulse destruction is fuelled by a currency system which, well...which doesn't seem to exist. If you want something to play with in the world all you'll have to do is call for it to be delivered. There'll be no need to accrue monies to pay for stuff. Why, if Rico is allowed magic parachutes and insane fall-based damage thresholds, should Avalanche hamper our ability to have fun with arbitrary gear gating? The answer appears to be: 'it doesn't.' So it hasn't.

Even C4, which was a cherished item earned through frustrating world scouring in Just Cause 2, is now an infinitely replenishing resource.

Getting from place to place can still involve a mixture of parachuting and grappling the ground for momentum, this time with the added spice of the wingsuit thrown in for good measure. However, sometimes you'll want to utilise the vehicles of the world to get about. Thankfully Rico's move-set had been given a once over, allowing him to hijack, leap atop and crawl around the outside of these vehicles much more smoothly.

It's only when you go back to Just Cause 2 after playing 3 that you'll notice it, but now when you hit a ledge Rico will automatically kick himself up it, rather than fall down to hang and achingly slowly haul himself up. The general smoothness of leaping from car roof to helicopter, to skydive to tank has been ironed out thanks to a rigorous new animation set too.

It's odd how, given the tools at your disposal, it's still possible to find yourself serenely drinking in the environment of Medici. We're not sure how much of this will be celebrated via rewards and such in the final game, but as we explored we discovered plenty of stunning vistas, many of which seemed hand crafted.

You might crest a rise just as the sun rises to see a magnificent view of the azure ocean below, or spend more time attempting to land on a small island in the middle of a rocky outcropping than you probably should, just for the thrill of moving around in Rico's boots/wingsuit. We even, at one point, spot a seemingly man-made cave carved out of a mountainside in the shape of a skull. If this level of craft is spread out this thickly across the whole of Medici then it'll truly be something worth celebrating.

But yeah, for every minute you'll spend ogling the tasty new-gen environs, you spend two planning some phase of stuntery and another four implementing it. Case in point.

From a lofty retreat we espied an enemy outpost, there are a number of these that require liberating around the island of Medici, as Rico attempts to free it from the dictator, General Di Ravello. Our plan is to wingsuit down, take out the radar dishes with C4, jump in a helicopter and then get the hell out of Dodge. As we're on our way down, however, two enemy choppers whirl in out of nowhere. By the skin of our teeth we manage to manoeuvre around and grapple onto the underbelly of one, hijacking it in time to notice a nearby cluster of SAM missile sites trained upon us. We dive out again just as our new vehicle explodes, then aim our chest hairs at these new land-to-air bastards. Our simple objective to take out the enemy base very quickly became a series of impulsive decisions, inspired in the moment by the tendency for action to ramp up at a monumental pace.

Here's a roundup of some of the maddest things we attempted with the tools at Rico's disposal, and what happened as a result:

- We attached C4 to a nearby guard and then grappling hooked him to a statue (these are back to be destroyed from the previous game). He smashed into the thing's arse, exploded and the statue's head then cannoned off and landed on a nearby cluster of vehicles, sparking a chain reaction of further explosions.
- We found ourselves pinned down in a petrol station, of all places. We grappled a red barrel onto the underbelly of a helicopter that was giving us hassle then retracted them together. We'll let you do the maths.
- We made a sort of mobile out of outpost guards and helicopter blades.
- We attached a guy to a hale bale and then sent the hay bale rolling down a steep incline which seemingly went on for miles. It took him minutes to reach the bottom. Fair play, he got up and walked it off though. We let him live.

Those are all the screens and details we know about Just Cause 3 for now, but make sure to check back in as development progresses! Anything you're curious about, or definitely want to see in the game? Let us know in the comments below!

Itching for more open-world chaos in the meantime? Check out our reviews for .

A new Deus has dawned, a day of augmented cyber soldiers and gruff, goateed blokes stabbing each other with rulers. Yep, there's a brand new Deus Ex game on the way. It's called Mankind Divided, and it's great. Well, probably. It certainly looks good. The last game in this illustrious series, 2010's Human Revolution garnered plenty of praise for its inventive gameplay and amusing array of gadgets. These so-called 'augmentations' allowed users to tackle their objectives in almost any manner they saw fit - with the obvious exception of those damnable boss battles.

Still, these 'augs' were pretty damn great, oftentimes feeling more like traditional superpowers than feasible, albeit highly futuristic technologies. The difference between the two is that one day we may very well see the latter in action. All the toxic goo in the world isn't going to grant you powers, but mad-eyed Mr. Science just might. So, what on earth are we going to do with all of these abilities? Help one another? Hah, this is humanity we're talking about. I'll bet we're going to utilise these sci-fi marvels the same way we use everything else: moronically. Here's just a few examples…

What it's actually for - Handling tense negotiations. The social enhancer allows agents to subtly read and react to their target's non-verbalised intent. Optional pheromone release creates a more suggestible enemy.

How we'd misuse it - Convincing people to buy time-share condos and shady pyramid schemes.

What it's actually for - Cluster bombing an agent's immediate vicinity, thereby preventing them from being overcome.

How we'd misuse it - Massively overreacting to the threat of wasps.

What it's actually for - Reducing minute bodily movement, allowing for a steadier aim when firing a weapon.

How we'd misuse it - Hustling pub patrons out of their hard earned cash.

What it's actually for - Arm-mounted stabbing weapons, capable of eliminating numerous targets quietly.

How we'd misuse it - Pushing ourselves up in bed.

What it's actually for - Lugging around large amounts of mission-vital kit. Improves the strength of cybernetic arm prostheses.

How we'd misuse it - Hording huge quantities of useless tat/ carrying all 20 bags of shopping in at the same time (without inadvertently amputating your fingers).

What it's actually for - Keeping track of troublesome guards/ pinpointing a particular target. Ties in to cranial and visual enhancements.

How we'd misuse it - Obsessively stalking your ex/ crying deeply.

What it's actually for - Temporarily masking an agent's movements. Users are rendered effectively invisible.

How we'd misuse it - Pretending to be poltergeists, re-enacting the ending of Ghost.

What it's actually for - Non-audible verbal communications, grants live access to mission handlers, and all without giving away an agent's location.

How we'd misuse it - Gossiping and/or thoroughly badmouthing the person sat next to us without their knowledge.

What it's actually for - Displays the enemy's forecast of an agent's last known position.

How we'd misuse it - Keeping track of our house keys and/or wallet.

What it's actually for - Prevents injury from falling/ heals other wounds.

How we'd misuse it - Repeatedly throwing ourselves down the nearest staircase, for kicks.

What it's actually for - Spotting mission-specific resources and/or enemies, allowing an agent to effectively see through obstacles.

How we'd misuse it - Filthy voyeuristic escapades. Not me though...

What it's actually for - Shifting heavy objects/ creating impromptu barricades.

How we'd misuse it - Hurling loved ones into the deep end of a swimming pool.

What it's actually for - Creating unconventional entry points, allowing the agent to outfox an entrenched opponent.

How we'd misuse it - Knocking down derelict houses/ accidentally destroying listed buildings. Generally costing the local council a fortune.

The world of is a dangerous place. In the south, the massive Nilfgaardian Empire presses forward in an attempt to expand its empire to the north. Only a handful of kingdoms remain independent of the Nilfgaard's aggressive expansion: Temeria, Aedirn, Redania, Kaedwen and Kovir. Non-humans -- such as elves, dwarves and halflings -- suffer bigotry and violence from humans and the land is terrorized by a host of vicious creatures.

Though an instability exists between non-human and humans throughout the unnamed continent, a modicum of control exists in the fight against monsters. These warriors are the Witchers.

The central figure in CD Projekt Red's video game adaptation series is Geralt, part of a dwindling group of hunters known as Witchers.

Witchers are genetically mutated humans who undergo years of special training and are imbued with supernatural abilities thanks to various potions and elixirs. Their development, which the universe’s lore states begins at an early age, is for the specific purpose of hunting and slaying dangerous monsters that terrorize the land.

The first game in CD Projekt RED's series begins years after the conclusion of the Witcher novel saga as Geralt is discovered in a forest with no memory of his previous life.

Geralt struggles with amnesia, unsure of his past. As he attempts to piece together his memories within the walls of Kaer Morhen, the last remaining Witcher stronghold in the world and home to the remaining few of his kind, the fortress is attacked by a group known as the Salamandra. In the ensuing conflict, an assassin known as the Professor and a Salamandra mage named Azar Javed escape with the secrets of Witcher mutation, which had been sealed by the Witcher Order for centuries.

(Note: The Witcher series author and creator, Andrzej Sapkowski, has stated that CD Projekt RED’s video game series is not canonical.)

On his way south to Temeria's capitol city Vizima in search of the Salamandra, Geralt befriends a dwarf named Zoltan and a child who appears to have powerful magical abilities named Alvin. The region is in turmoil, Geralt learns. Vizima is under quarantine and two militia groups - the human Order of the Flaming Roses and the Scoia'tael (a group of guerrillas made up of non-humans, such as elves and dwarves) - are embroiled in a growing conflict.

After being taken prisoner before entering the Vizima city gates, Geralt is offered his freedom in exchange for defeating a creature that stalks the sewers under the city. Underground, Geralt meets Siegfried, a knight who aids in his quest to defeat the menace and offers him advice in his search for information regarding the Salamandra. In his quest to uncover the group's plan, Geralt comes face-to-face with the Professor and Azar Javed, but the pair escape after Geralt is knocked unconscious.

Geralt regains consciousness in the personal quarters of the powerful mage Triss Merigold, who had been among those that nursed him back to health at Kaer Morhen. The mage works to restore his memories, but cannot unlock his mind. As Geralt uncovers Salamandra bases within the walls of Vizima, the extent of Alvin's powers become more clear. The boy has visions of humanity’s destruction and is eventually revealed to be a Source, a person born with innate magical abilities rather than earning those gifts through training or elixirs.

In Vizima, Geralt greets Princess Adda -- daughter of the King Foltest, ruler of Temeria -- and it's revealed that the Witcher had once cured her of a disease that was transforming her into a feral beast many years ago. Eventually Geralt discovers the Princess is working with the Salamandra and is once again confronted by the mage Javed and the hired killer known as the Professor. In the encounter Geralt manages to kill the assassin, but Javed flees. To protect her role in the Salamandra plot, Princess Adda calls for Geralt's arrest, but Triss manages to teleport Geralt away to safety.

In the village of Murky Waters, Alvin's visions continue to disturb him. Geralt and his friend Dandelion the Bard care for the boy. To help suppress his magical abilities and nightmares, Geralt gives Alvin a pendant sent to him by Triss.

The conflict between the Flaming Rose and the Scoia'tael (also known as the Squirrels) expands to the region, giving players the ability to remain neutral in the battle or choose the side of either the knights of the Flaming Rose or the non-human Squirrels. The conflict scares Alvin and the young boy mysteriously disappears in a flash, never to be seen again.

The civil war between the Flaming Roses and the Squirrels reaches its apex, with all non-humans within the region joining the ranks of the Scoia'tael. Princess Adda once again begins to transform and King Foltest pleas for Geralt's assistance. Geralt can decide to either kill the Princess or cure her once and for all. Regardless of Geralt's decision, King Foltest helps the Witcher locate Azar Javed. Geralt finds and kills the mage and learns that it was Jacques de Aldersberg, the Grand Master of the Order of the Flaming Rose, that was responsible for the attack on Kaer Morhen.

Geralt learns that Jacques de Aldersberg's plan is to use the secrets from the Witcher Order to create an army of mutant soldiers to protect humanity from an apocalypse. During a battle with Jacques, who is revealed to be a Source, Geralt and the Grand Master are teleported into the potential future, a decimated world that resembles the destruction of humanity prophesied by Alvin's visions. After killing the Grand Master, Geralt discovers Jacques carries a dimeritium pendant similar to the one given to Alvin by Geralt, though it has been ravaged by time. Though it has never been confirmed within the game's narrative or by CD Projekt RED, popular fan theory (and some in-game speculation) surmises that Alvin disappeared through time and grew up to become Jacques de Aldersberg.

Geralt's quest doesn't unlock his memories, but he is given a pretty penny for his role in quelling the rebellion of the Order. King Foltest offers his thanks and Geralt makes his way toward "a new beginning." Before leaving the kingdom, however, Foltest is attacked and Geralt steps in to save his life. After killing the would-be assassin, Geralt discovers the kingslayer is also a Witcher.

Geralt of Rivia is now employed by King Foltest, assigned to offer advice and protect him from danger, alongside Triss Merigold. Geralt's past is still hazy, but pieces of it return to him over time. Geralt helps the King rescue his illegitimate children from a former lover, but an assassin -- who is later revealed to be a Witcher -- infiltrates the stronghold housing the children and kills the King. Geralt is immediately suspected of the crime, and is arrested for regicide.

Geralt convinces Temerian Special Forces commander Vernon Roche that another is responsible for the King's death during interrogation. Roche offers Geralt the opportunity to hunt down the true king slayer and frees him. The two escape together and, along with Triss, follow the true assassin's trail to the city of Flotsam.

Once the trio land in Flotsam, they are ambushed by rebel elf Iorveth. It is revealed that Iorveth is working with the Witcher responsible for the death of King Foltest as well as the death of the king from the neighboring region of Aedirn.

Once Geralt, Triss and Roche make their way to the town square, Geralt reunites with (and saves from hanging) his old friends Zoltan and Dandelion. While in town Geralt defeats a giant monster threatening the town's economy and learns that the Witcher kingslayer intends to betray Iorveth. Geralt manages to convince Iorveth that his assassin ally is untrustworthy as Roche arrives with an armed force to stamp out the rebel threat. Geralt eventually confronts the Witcher assassin, named Letho, but the kingslayer escapes and takes Triss Merigold as his hostage.

From here players choose to side with Iorveth or Roche, altering the path toward the game's ending.

If Geralt sides with the rebel elf the two sail to Aedirn in pursuit of Letho. While there, the two are wrapped up in a plot against King Henselt, who controls the region of Kaedwen. After helping him escape to the city of Vergen, Geralt learns of Triss Merigold is being held by members of the Nilfgaard kingdom from sorceress Philippa Eilhart. Eventually Geralt breaks a spell unleashed onto the battlefield and helps repel attacks on Vergen by King Henselt’s forces alongside the Scoia'tael and the rebel leader Saskia the Dragonslayer.

Geralt later discovers Saskia is a dragon taking human form whose mind is being controlled by Philippa Eilhart. Once this is discovered, Philippa teleports Saskia and herself to the city of Loc Muinne, where Triss is being held. Geralt and Iorveth follow toward Loc Muinne, where a summit of royal leaders is taking place and is central to the sorcerer’s motivation for her control of Saskia.

Upon arriving in Loc Muinne, Geralt and Iorveth discover Philippa Eilhart has been taken prisoner and choose to aid in her escape or rescue Triss. Helping Eilhart escape gives Geralt a dagger that can break the spell over Saskia. Geralt soon discovers the plot of the mages was to use Saskia's dragon form as leverage in an effort to re-establish a Mage Conclave. The group of mages have hired Letho along with other Witcher assassins to kill neighboring kings in order to weaken their stranglehold on the region. Geralt then discovers that Letho has once again betrayed a contract, learning he has turned against Síle de Tansarville.

Still under mind control, Saskia attacks Geralt in dragon form. If he helped Philippa escape, he may use the dagger to break the spell. If Geralt chose to save Triss, he must kill the dragon.

If Geralt assists Roche, the two eventually sail to Aedirn and learn of a rebel plot against the Kaedwen King. The two decide to aid King Henselt, despite the fact that the king appears to be completely amoral and carries himself with an arrogant sense of immunity. Geralt discovers an insurgency within the King's army believes Henselt is conspiring with the Nilfgaard empire. In his time working to protect the King, Geralt uncovers Triss Merigold's whereabouts. Eventually Geralt defends King Henselt from two Witcher assassins before uncovering they are working with the sorceresses Síle de Tansarville and Philippa Eilhart. Once discovered, Síle de Tansarville flees to Loc Muinne with Philippa Eilhart and Saskia, where Triss is being held.

Henselt's vicious character comes forward even further after the plot to destroy him fails. The king first rapes Ves -- the lone female soldier in Roche's Blue Stripes special forces unit -- and then has the rest of Roche's men killed in retaliation for spreading rumors about the King’s support of the Nilfgaard empire.

The player may decide to allow Roche to kill King Henselt in revenge, causing a civil war in the region, or to spare the king.

Geralt and Roche learn that, in an attempt to kidnap King Foltest's illegitimate children, Foltest's son has been killed. Geralt must then choose to rescue Foltest's daughter, Anais, or continue in his search for Triss. If Anais is saved, she is either return to Temeria to become a "great leader" or brought to the region of Redania where she is expected to eventually grow to marry.

Eventually Geralt confronts Síle de Tansarville, learns Letho has betrayed her, and is attacked by the dragon. Geralt may either kill the dragon or leave it wounded; regardless of his choice, Geralt never learns the dragon's true identity if he choses to side with Roche.

If Geralt rescues Triss Merigold, the Mage Conclave is re-established and they work to seal Loc Muinne. Later, on his way to confront Letho, Geralt sees Roche defending Anais from a group of attacking soldiers. Geralt may choose to help him; regardless, Geralt learns the once Commander of the Blue Stripes has now been labeled an outlaw.

If Geralt saves either Philippa or Anais, Letho blames the deaths of each king in the northern region on Síle de Tansarville and a witch hunt of Salem, Massachusetts, level proportions ensues. Additionally, Iorveth is labeled “public enemy number one”. Letho then saves Triss himself and reveals that he and Geralt were once allies. Letho also reveals that the plots to kill the kings of the north were all in an attempt to destabilize the region in preparation for a Nilfgaard invasion. Letho says he only agreed to the plan because the Emperor of Nilfgaard promised he could re-establish his Witcher school.

Geralt may choose to either kill or spare both Letho and Síle de Tansarville in their final confrontations.

By the end of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Geralt has regained his lost memories. He remembers that he and his true love, a sorceress named Yennefer of Vengerberg, were attacked and killed by an angry mob out for non-human blood.

Thanks to his adopted daughter, a young but powerful sorcerer named Ciri, the pair were revived and brought to safety before she absconded to forge her own path. Geralt recalls that Ciri, like Alvin and Jacques, is a Source.

Geralt remembers that once they were revived, his peaceful existence with Yennefer did not last. She was soon kidnapped for her power by the Wild Hunt, a vicious group of Wraith-like warriors that terrorize the land. Geralt, with his friend Letho in tow, gave chase to the group and offers his soul in exchange for Yennefer. Their leader accepts the trade immediately.

Geralt escapes the Wild Hunt and eventually finds his way near the last Witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen near death and with no memory of his past.

Nilfgaard begins its invasion of the north. Geralt has recovered his lost memories and he knows Yennefer, his true love, is being held somewhere within the advancing army's territory. The story of Geralt, the Witcher, is coming to an end.

This weekend, Mad Max mania comes to a head. - won't be out until this September.

But don't worry - there are plenty of games out there to help you satisfy those cravings for all things anarchic and high-octane. If you didn't know, the Mad Max films have , and the series' unique atmosphere has had a sizable influence in the realm of gaming. While you wait to play as the real Max Rockatansky, you ought to check out these titles inspired by George Miller's movies in a variety of ways. Spoiler: some of them don't even involve cars.

This 2011 shooter-racer hybrid from id software is currently the closest thing we have to a game set in the Mad Max universe (ignoring the best-left-forgotten NES game). Besides all the futuristic bits about cryogenic freezing and nanites, Rage's depiction of the desert wasteland that was once Earth feels just like the gritty, unrelenting world of the films. Everywhere you look, there's another homage: muscle cars and dune buggies covered in scrap metal and animal bones, maniacal bandits who terrorize (and sometimes feed on) other survivors, even a deadly metal boomerang that can lop off body parts just like in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. Drive angry.

If not for the cel-shaded aesthetic, the Borderlands franchise would have the edge over Rage as the go-to video game simulacrum of Mad Max. The first two games feature more traditional sun-baked badlands, populated primarily by masked Psychos who would fit right in with those Mad Max savages. But I'm going to give the edge to , given how most of the denizens of Pandora's moon speak with an Australian accent, just like the casts of the first two Mad Max films. No matter which game you choose, hopping into an Outrunner or Moon Buggy with a co-op buddy and mowing down bandits is always a rip-roarin' good time.

Were it not for the Mad Max films, gaming's car combat genre probably wouldn't even exist. And while there are a decent number of vehicular deathmatches to choose from, like the Vigilante 8 games or Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012, I consider Twisted Metal: Black to be the pinnacle of the genre. The dark, horrific atmosphere in Black is just as gritty, brutal, and dystopian as Mad Max's world, complete with poor sods chained to cars (much like Lord Humungus' ride in The Road Warrior). Combatants all have a reckless disregard for the value of human life, and the automotive mayhem maintains adrenaline-pumping speed throughout each match. If you've got a PS3, I highly recommend you snag this PS2 Classic ASAP.

The original Mad Max is all about the roaring choppers, and no series does motorcycle combat as well as Road Rash. Even though being the first one to cross the finish line is your primary goal, the action really revolves around punching, kicking, or clobbering your competitors with blunt objects as you all weave in and out of traffic. If you don't feel like dusting off your PS1, N64, or (god forbid) 3DO to play the classic versions, you'll definitely want to check out , a spiritual successor to Rash on Steam Early Access.

Pick any Fallout, really - all of them perfectly capture the feeling of wandering alone through a post-apocalyptic desert, scavenging and killing to survive. You won't do a whole lot of driving (unless you fix up a Corvega in Fallout 2), but the tradeoff is Dogmeat, a loyal canine companion just like the one at Max's side in The Road Warrior. Body armor comes in the form of whatever you can find and safely strap to your body, and chems will keep you fighting at a long-term, irradiated price. If only you could sustain yourself on cans of Dinki-Di dog food.

Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome is a bit of a weird one, what with the chainmail-clad Tina Turner and tribes of disheveled, primitive kids. But one of the most memorable bits is the subplot with Master Blaster, the symbiotic pairing of a small, arrogant man (Master) riding a hulking, metal-masked brute (Blaster) who together keep the lights on in Bartertown. This design was taken wholesale for 's Ferra and Torr, with the slight adjustment of a little woman as the piggy-backer instead of a man. Granted, Ferra is much more suited for battle than Master, as she'll happily bum-rush opponents with her razor-sharp claws or literally bore her way through their chest cavity like a human cannonball.

If you can't fathom the thought of jumping from the roof of one speeding car onto another, you probably won't last too long in the Mad Max universe. But there's a safe way to train up before the inevitable apocalypse: play the Pursuit Force series, a pair of obscure PSP games about police officers who leap between moving vehicles with reckless abandon. These games are action-packed and gloriously campy, with your character pulling up alongside enemy vehicles and diving into the driver's seat like it's no big deal. Though the superior sequel Extreme Justice is sadly locked to the PSP, the original game is available as a download for PS Vita - just be ready for some merciless difficulty spikes.

Bullets are pretty hard to come by in the post-apocalypse, so Mad Max characters typically rely on more traditional means for deadly projectiles: metal bolts and arrows. Most road warriors fire their volleys with compound bows, but some elite baddies make use of miniature crossbows - perfect for puncturing flesh and tires alike with one hand while you steer with the other. If you're looking to simulate the act of dealing ranged death with adorably small ballistics, Dishonored has the best handheld bows in gaming (or wrist-mounted, if you're playing the Daud DLC).

Lastly, let's pour out a little gasoline for the fallen Auto Assault, which was basically the Mad Max MMO before it was shut down in 2007. Instead of killing boars and rats, all the battles took place between tricked-out vehicles, with combat that let you aim your guns and hit your nitro boosts in real time. Sadly, much like modern civilization in the Mad Max movies, Auto Assault will only live on in our memories. Whichever of these aforementioned games you choose - or others, like the spectacular wrecks of Burnout, or the car-riding possibilities of Just Cause, perhaps - we'll get through the wait for the forthcoming open-world Mad Max game together.

It's been eight years now since we got our first glimpse of a guy with a medieval hoodie and a knife up his sleeve, and oh how the Assassin's Creed family has grown since then. Pulling from every era from the beginning of time to the Apple Watch, this series has a cast list of hundreds, and the is about to add even more names to the guest list when it launches next fall.

This is where you'll find Syndicate's full cast list as it's unveiled, from fictional folks to historical figures, less than ten years old to two years before death. Go ahead and take a look, and see who you'll be trusting with your digital life.

The thick-necked and brash male lead of Assassin's Creed Syndicate, Jacob is at his best when he's introducing Templar thugs to the business end of his fists. An Assassin born in 1847 and brought up in the Brotherhood, he makes a pilgrimage to London with his twin sister Evie in 1868 to wrestle the city out of the Templars' industrial iron grip. Seeing the value of London's criminal underground and the of power it wields, Jacob is quick to suggest bringing the fight to the gangs themselves, taking over their territory and bringing thugs with little loyalty to the Templar cause under the Assassin banner.

Jacob prefers a direct and brutal approach to negotiation, using brass knuckles and short, concealed knives as his primary tools. While the fact that he punches first and asks questions later might make it seem like he has a one-track mind, in early trailers he appears to be quite the dreamer. Motivated by a poetic desire to liberate the underprivileged from tyranny, he's every bit the idealist, and the first visionary Assassin we've seen in years.

Every good criminal enterprise needs a proper strategist. While her brother Jacob may talk big, Evie is the business mind behind their gang, The Rooks, and knows what it will take to keep other enemy groups from seizing their hard-won territory. She's easily the more down-to-earth and subtle of the two, and that's reflected in her fighting style, which favors stealth and subterfuge. In Syndicate's first gameplay demo, we see her slip into an enemy stronghold without its legion of guards (or her own brother) noticing her until she knocks the gun out of a Templar's hand with a single throwing knife. Don't give her any sass, or she'll quietly kill you from the doorway.

While Evie is an equal partner to Jacob (and equally playable), at this point we don't know as much about her as we'd like; Ubisoft has claimed it wants to focus on the Frye twins one at a time. The spotlight will apparently be on Evie at Gamescom 2015, and formation will be doled out over the summer. Keep your eyes and ears open - it's always a good strategy.

Though Jacob waxes poetic about "rising from the ashes of an old Brotherhood", he and Evie apparently aren't alone in their endeavors. Henry Green's only present for a short cutscene as the demo kicks off, but that's enough to establish him as a more cautious character than either twin, adamantly opposed to two "building an army" of the city's criminal crowd.

Sporting noticeably different garb than either Jacob or Evie, it's possible that Henry comes from a different nation's Assassin band (maybe Egypt, given that his Assassin gauntlet is similar to the one worn by ), and came to help the English Assassins regroup. Alternatively, he could be part of a splinter-group that managed to escape whatever led to the eradication of the British Assassins in the first place. Either way, he's much more focused on being discreet, and I suspect he has very good reason to be.

Would a tale set in Victorian London really feel right with an adorable child around to be a scamp and feed the hero information? We’re probably not going to find out in Syndicate, from the look of Clara. Though we've only seen her for a split second so far, she spends that moment passing Jacob intelligence about the Rooks' rival gang, the Blighters, apparently gathered through her own reconnaissance. Then she immediately goes for what's left of Jacob beer before Henry stops her, the little rapscallion.

As unassuming as she may look, the information she gets on the Blighters and their Templar captain was something the Assassins weren't even close to uncovering according to Henry, so clearly this girl isn't to be underestimated. And hey, maybe she deserves some of that beer for her efforts. Come on Henry, this is the industrial revolution. She's probably had a longer workday than you have.

A fearsome Templar captain with a very silly name, Bloody Nora is the leader of the Blighters, a powerful street gang that pays allegiance to the Assassins' greatest enemies. As the resident Templar controlling City of London (the borough, not the whole town), she's one of Jacob and Evie's foremost targets, because taking her out means taking control of her entire territory.

So far it's uncertain if she'll actually play a large part in the story or not - she could just as easily be a pivotal character or a glorified pincushion. However, we don't see her go down with her thugs during the demo's conclusive gang war, so it's entirely possible she lives to fight another day.

Father of evolutionary theory and owner of one of history's most magnificent beards, Charles Darwin is perhaps the most famous scientific figure of the 17th century, so naturally our Assassin heroes are going to meet him in person. Given that Syndicate is set in the thick of Darwinism's rise and two years after Charles re-emerged into the public eye (after a four-year bout of medical seclusion), we'll get to see the man at the height of his popularity - and susceptibility to Templar scheming.

Revealed as part of a pre-order bonus mission called The Darwin and Dickens Conspiracy (I wonder who else might show up!), Darwin will act as a recurring character that the twins can interact with in the open world. In addition, he'll be a regular giver of quests, probably like Leonardo da Vinci in Assassin's Creed 2 or Ben Franklin in 3. I suspect we'll be recovering some critical samples stolen from his laboratory. For science!

In a completely unexpected turn of events, Charles Dickens will also be joining the Syndicate cast, which seems appropriate, as he on the suffering of the working class in Industrial London. In contrast to Darwin, we can expect to see Dickens in the last years of his life, after the publication of all his most famous works and right at the start of the 'farewell' book tour he conducted before his death in 1870. Cheery!

Before you go thinking that you'll just be collecting missing pages from Great Expectations for an oblivious old man, it's worth noting that Dickens' life had its share of suspiciously Assassin-y happenings. Like in 1860, when he made a bonfire of all his personal correspondences, or how he survived a horrible train crash in 1865 and managed to save some folks caught in the wreckage. Or what about the fact that he joined a famous society of paranormal investigation, and kept his affair with a mysterious woman named Ellen Tenran secret for years? Something tells me he experienced some best of times and worst of times with the English Assassin Order.

I remember sitting in a college class listening to the teacher explain fanfiction. What made it memorable was that seemingly no one else in the class had heard of such a wild and outlandish concept. They were aghast at the very notion of it. 'Why would anyone do such a thing?' For me, learning about the existence of fanfiction - the very concept - was an empowering revelation. A new world of possibilities opened up for my favorite characters, one in which I could contribute.

Reading and writing fanfiction was a big part of my childhood, but I somehow failed to realize until recently that a new breed of fan-creation had taken shape. Just like those college students, I was stunned to learn people were writing fanfiction based on other fanfiction. My first thought was "Why?" but now it's "Why not?" If something sparks your creativity, that's what counts. Here are my top picks for fanfiction so outrageous it inspired its own fanfiction.

The Premise: Operatic rock group have two albums dedicated to their Dystopian vision of the Mega Man universe. In Act I we discover that Dr. Wily rules over all with an iron fist, and learn the fates of both Proto Man and Mega Man. Act II takes us back in time to discover the origins of of Wily and Mega Man-creator Dr. Light, and see how they basically initiated the rock-and-roll robot apocalypse. Think George Orwell's 1984 by way of Queen with robots.

The Fanfiction: If there's one sure-fire way to ignite a young fanfic writer's passion, it's that spark of angst found so readily in gritty, depressing reboots. The fanfic community surrounding The Protomen is small - compared to the rest of these slides - but the fact that there's any fanfiction about a dark rock opera based on Mega Man is worth celebrating. Since The Protomen's Mega trilogy won't be completed until Act III, some fans have taken it upon themselves to provide for the characters and the state of the world. Sadly, none of them are in rock opera form.

The Premise: "It’s a terrific series, subtle and dramatic and stimulating… I wish all Potter fans would go here, and try on a bigger, bolder and more challenging tale." That's a quote from Hugo Award-winning science fiction author David Brin in reference to . If that doesn't give you an acute case of "Wait. What!?" then try this: Methods was written by Eliezer Yudkowsky, an AI researcher, theorist, and co-founder of the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence. It presents an alternate-universe in which Harry Potter was raised by a scientist and and struggles to apply scientific theory to magic, spanning 600,000 words across 112 chapters. Harry Potter fanfiction is serious. freaking. business.

The Fanfiction: Since Methods is itself derived from one of the most fanfic-centric communities on the internet, it's only natural this scientific fairy tale has spawned a number of fanfics of its own. Split between an active , most of the HPMOR community expands upon Yudkowsky's vision of Harry Potter by casting other charcters in the lead role and seeing how they behave though the lens of scientific rationalism. Unfortunately, I don't think any amount of scientific reasoning will explain how the hell Quidditch works.

The Premise: is a video series featuring Final Fantasy and Dead or Alive characters beating the ever-living crap out of each other. There's nary a line of dialog spoken, just constant grunts punctuated by the occasional battlecry as an army of anime ladies go to town in a kung-fu epic that would put even the Matrix trilogy to shame. There were also a few J-POP music videos, but those were likely non-canonical. The series was conceptualized by the late Monty Oum, an animator and director who went on to work for Midway Games, Namco Bandai, and Rooster Teeth. He never finished the Dead Fantasy series.

The Fanfiction: Seeing as how the plot to the Dead Fantasy series can be summed up as "characters show up and fight each other" there is a wealth of material to be explored. I imagine it's a lot like drumming up the backstory for a fighting game - you already know the cast is going to beat the hell out of each other, the question is "Why?" The answer comes in the form of told from the point-of-view of a single characters. If you've ever wanted to read a detailed account of two people having a long, magically-charged, kung-fu beat down you've found the right fan community.

The Premise: We all remember Yu-Gi-Oh!, the children's-card-game-turned-mega-franchise featuring one of anime's most .

The Fanfiction: If you're sitting down to write then you're probably doing one of two things: either a romance story between Marik and Bakura, or a "crack fic" about the first thing that pops into your head. Marik and Bakura were both possessed by demonic fashion accessories in the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, which transformed them into homicidal maniacs, so naturally they fall in love having so much in common. Sadly, stories in the crack fic camp usually read like retellings of humorous events in the author's own life. But with Yu-Gi-Oh! characters. And by Yu-Gi-Oh! characters I of course mean Marik and Bakura.

The Premise: Ho-Oh, the legendary rainbow pokemon, has declared war on humanity (I told you these were dark). It has released the dampeners on pokemon worldwide, which basically means all those flamethrower, thunder shock, and hydro pump attacks are now hyper-lethal against humans--not to mention all the creepy stuff bug-type pokemon can do. Humanity, alongside the precious few pokemon still loyal to their trainers, must now fight for its own survival on the bloody, endless battlefield their world has become.

The Fanfiction: The idea of a war involving pokemon is inevitable when you base your universe around animals fighting each other. .

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The Premise: As you may have already guessed, combines the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic TV show with the Fallout video games. The story takes places in the irradiated wasteland of Equestria which was decimated by a "megaspell holocost" (read: nukes). It follows young unicorn Littlepip who escapes from her Stable (read: Vault) to search of her lifelong friend, Velvet Remedy. She encounters plenty of, um, colorful characters along the way while also slowly piecing together what caused this global catastrophe.

The Fanfiction: Fallout: Equestria is celebrated as one of the largest and most successful fan-creations in the My Little Pony community. It has spawned in several different languages all set within its post-apocalyptic universe. And it doesn't stop there: radio dramas, audio books, comics, music, and even plans for a limited-run book printing of the original story. It's a real testament to the creative drive of the MLP community.

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The Premise: , as it's commonly known, is a supernatural horror story about a haunted copy of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for the Nintendo 64. As if Majora's Mask wasn't creepy enough, this tale recounts one man's experience with what he thinks is either a defective or prototype game cartridge. The cartridge is full of disturbing imagery and mismatched scenes not found in the final game. Gradually, our hero becomes convinced the game is possessed by a malevolent techno-ghost called BEN, which is trying to escape.

The Fanfiction: This story was originally published back in 2010, and spread like wildfire across the internet--just like BEN wanted--thanks in part to some convincing footage reportedly taken from the game. Its author, Alex "Jadusable" Hall, eventually spun the story off into a full-blown alternate reality game, but that was later canceled before completion. Since then, the fans have stepped up to tell BEN's origin story and fill in left by Hall. A surprising number of these stories, however, also include supernatural romance.

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The Premise: It's no secret that 99.9-percent of people who would argue about the Mass Effect trilogy's ending online didn't enjoy the ending to the Mass Effect trilogy (and argued about it online). Out of that debate came a truly provocative and well thought out interpretation of Shepard's final battle: the . In brief, the final choice you make in Mass Effect 3 isn't the one you think you're making. Instead, it's a battle of wills between you and the Reapers for control of Shepard's mind. Developer BioWare, however, has remained coy about whether this is truly the case.

The Fanfiction: I really like this theory. It gives the game an air of mystery, similar to the theories about . Poking around online, I found dozens of stories inspired by this interpretation of Mass Effect's ending. Of course, for every one of those stories there are a dozen female Shepard and Garrus romance novels, but what are you going to do?

The Premise: One man has been playing the same game of Civilization II for over a decade. The result is a nightmare world not unlike something from the Warhammer 40,000 universe. In his game, most of the Earth is irradiated swampland, a combined result of the polar ice caps melting and one-too-many nuclear winters. The resulting military stalemate--a three-way tie between the Celts, Vikings, and Americans--is airtight, with each nation's destitute populace solely dedicated to maintaining that status quo. There is no end in sight.

The Fanfiction: Okay, while an old game of Civilization II isn't the same as the text-based entries on this list, it still makes for a compelling story. After its author, Lycerius, posted this story on .

The Premise: Earlier this year, in a move that ruffled the feathers of Star Wars fans across the universe, Disney announced it would be, basically, ignoring any and all materials taking place after the original trilogy as it sees fit. This is in preparation for the release of Star Wars: Episode VII in 2015. The upshot? The now-defunct expanded universe, which had grown bloated with decades worth of material, has all now landed firmly in the realm of fanfiction.

The Fanfiction: The sea of fan-created works surrounding these games, novels, and more is so vast, and so deep, that it would be impossible to summarize here. Things get interesting, however, when you consider the possibility of twice-recursive fanfiction. I'm talking about a hypothetical piece of fanfiction based on fanfiction written about something in the Star Wars expanded universe, which is itself now fanfiction. Whether such a document exists remains to be seen.

The fanfiction universe is vast, its possibilities endless. Do you know of a work or series that has spawned its own collection of fan-creations? Make your voice heard in the comments below. Who knows, maybe it'll ignite that creative spark in another reader.

And if you're looking for more fanfiction goodness check out .

There are certain things you can expect to see in a new Mortal Kombat game. Yes, there will be extraordinarily gory Fatality finishers and flashy combos that can decimate your health bar. There will be copious amounts of blood and guts flying across the battlefield. But what really matters to players is the roster, with the hopes that it'll deliver a diverse cast of characters that afford many different playstyles.

Good news, then: offers tons of unique fighters, mixing old favorites with fresh faces and giving every character three distinct movesets called variations. If you want to see who made the kut in MKX, then click ahead for the full roster breakdown of everyone who's currently in the game, complete with high-res images.

No longer content with just killing pot-smoking, sexcapade-having teens, Jason Voorhees is bringing his iconic hockey mask and machete to the realm of MKX. He's not the only horror villain to make an appearance in the series (Freddy Krueger holds that honor in MK9), but Jason will be the first to have three variations, all aptly named: Slasher, Relentless, and Unstoppable. You can bet that at least one of his Fatalities will be a direct reference to his methods of onscreen slaughtering.

After having a real rough go of things in MK9, Kung Lao is back in MKX - though saying how might be a bit of a spoiler. All you really need to know is that yes, his hat still has a bladed brim, and yes, Kung Lao loves to throw at his opponents with impunity. He's one of the best rushdown characters out there, able to zoom in with a dive kick or teleport behind enemies who try to keep him at bay.

Gotcha! *Pow, pow, pow* Gotcha! *Pow, pow, pow* Gotcha! *Pow-pow-you get the idea. Fighting against Jax can be a really demoralizing experience as the man basically has a tool for every situation - from projectiles to that oh-so-catchy Gotcha! grab. There’s no escaping the guy. He can knock you down from the other end of the screen, and then propel himself forward and right into your personal space. After that, well, you know what comes next...

Much like her on-again, off-again husband, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade has undergone quite the transformation in MKX. In addition to locating a tank top, she is a much more well-rounded and fully realized character than in any MK game prior. She’s also an ass-kicking mom who can summon attack drones to harass her opponents from all over the screen. By fighting in conjunction with her drones, there’s nowhere for the opponent to hide.

Take the blinded Neo from the end of The Matrix Revolutions and give him a samurai sword. That's pretty much Kenshi in a nutshell, the sightless telepath who can move things with his mind. Depending on which variation you select, Kenshi's able to send out harmful spirit projections, wield his sword like a telekinetic lightsaber, or summon a scythe-wielding demon for some devastating combos. He's also got some of the most sadistic Fatalities in the game, which really don't match his usual calm-and-collected demeanor.

The blue-clad Edenian princess is back, and she's royally pissed. Using her twin bladed fans, Kitana can slice and dice opponents from afar or up close, and she has dominant control of the air when played correctly. If you're disappointed that Jade isn't back for MKX, don't worry - Kitana's Mournful variations is an homage to her green-clad compatriot, complete with all of Jade's classic staff-wielding, boomerang-chucking moves. The Assassin variation gives Kitana an equally interesting new tactic: the ability to parry attacks.

Scorpion is still a beast in MKX, without being the overwhelming juggernaut he was in the previous Mortal Kombat. Teleporting? Check. Lighting people on fire? Check. Get over here? Double check. All the classic moves are there, but they’re split up between the three variations available to each character. This means it’s a bit tougher to cheese your way through a fight using special moves alone. Trust us, we’ve tried.

Sub-Zero (aka Scrub-Zero, aka Is-that-Steve-Blum) is cruise control for cool when it comes to putting your opponent on ice. This frosty ninja’s arsenal of ice attacks will have the other player shaking in their boots. Using his expert ice sculpting skills, Sub-Zero can whip up a sword or an entire sculpture of himself in mere moments, before breaking those items upside someone’s head. Guess it’s time for them to… chill out.

Kitana's razor-toothed sister/clone/tormenter is a bit more toned down in MKX - which, if you remember her ridiculous bandages-only outfit from MK9, is definitely a good thing. Mileena finally has some lips to cover a few of those pointy mandibles, so it actually makes sense that she'd be able to speak intelligibly. As for her fighting style, her lightning-fast rolls and high-low sai projectiles can kill the opponent before they know what hit 'em.

Kenshi's wise-cracking son is one of four members of the secret Special Forces squad that's central to the story, showing off what this new generation of MK fighters is capable of. Takeda's style blends the Shirai Ryu training he learned from a certain yellow-clad master with arm-mounted whips, making him like the techno-ninja version of Omega Red. Oh, and just FYI: you have to be in the air to activate his X-Ray attack.

The de facto leader of the new-gen super-squad, Cassie is quite clearly the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, given both her attitude and fighting style. She's got all the military training and natural-born leadership inherent to her mother, mixed with the witty (and completely cheesy) one-liners and cockiness of her father. Cassie has even got her own version of Johnny's iconic groin punch, even yelling out "Ding! Dong!" when she drives home a one-two combo to the opponent's crotch.

The descendant of the great Kung Lao, Kung Jin rounds out Cassie's team with his Shaolin monk training and education in the ways of Outworld. He may be cocky, but Kung Jin has the skills to back up all his taunting, wielding a person-sized bow that also doubles as a bone-cracking staff. When he's not firing off arrows to the point that you look like a human pincushion, Kung Jin can get all up in your grill with his dive kick and leg-sweeping bow swings.

Ever since (spoilers) Shao Kahn got zapped by the Elder Gods at the end of MK9, Earthrealm has really been wanting for a megalomaniacal tyrant who could scheme to take it all over. Enter Shinnok, the fallen Elder God who's as sinister as he is pale. Shinnok serves as the main antagonist in MKX's story mode, and you'll get a closer look into how he's essentially the Emperor Palpatine of the Mortal Kombat universe.

Someone just needs to put old Kano out of his misery already. It’s literally all people talk about when they talk about Kano. “Hey guys,” someone will start, “Kano sure is a bad dude, we should totally kill him.” And EVERYONE will agree, but it never happens. Somehow this clown keeps rolling his way through one Mortal Kombat sequel after the next. That's ok, though, because his knife skills, laser eye beams, and physics-defying spin moves are always welcome.

Mortal Kombat veteran Johnny Cage makes a surprising transformation in MKX, from the wise-cracking stuntman of yore to a military commando and concerned father. Don’t get me wrong, he still has that signature Cage wit, but it has been tempered a bit with age. Like a fine wine, albeit one that can throw green fireballs and punch you in the junk. In the ring, Johnny’s simple-yet-aggressive fighting style makes him an ideal pick for new players; just make sure to yell “CAGED!!” after you win.

If you love Mortal Kombat but felt it was missing a Wild West aspect, MKX has the cure for what ails you. Erron Black is an Earthrealm cowboy turned Outworld mercenary, signing up to be part of Kotal Kahn's hit squad. Though he typically relies on his twin revolvers, he can also specialize with a long-range rifle or a devastating sword by way of his variations. He also has some of the most ridiculous combos and unyielding corner pressure you've ever seen, so there's really no safe distance to fight against this gunman.

The king of the high-pitched battle cry, Liu Kang is a fireball-chucking, bicycle-kicking machine. For those who like long, flowing combos straight out of a kung fu choreography montage, then Liu Kang's ample attack strings will be your cup of tea. But he's just as effective at the keep-away game, able to spit out high and low dragon-shaped fireballs until your opponent is simply exasperated. Just don't blame us when they want to beat you down in real life after the match.

Ermac is many, you are but one. You wouldn’t think fighting-by-committee would be very efficient, but the enigmatic Ermac makes it work. With an army of souls comprising his entire being, Ermac excels at lifting opponents into the air and doing horrible things to them. He’s basically putting on a little puppet show, and you’re the star attraction. Definitely a good pick if you just want to humiliate the other player.

Kotal Kahn may be the new emperor of Outworld, but he’s no Shao Kahn. Poor Kotal can barely keep his subordinates in line on a good day. On a bad day, someone makes a play on Kotal’s life, and the big guy has a lot of bad days. Shao Kahn wouldn’t put up with this nonsense. He had a hammer. Kotal has the power of the sun and a grappler/brawler fighting style that’s very technical. If you don’t like micromanaging various stat buffs during a fight, give Kotal a pass.

This scaly ninja is now part of Kotal Kahn's gang, spitting acid and slicing flesh to keep Outworld's riff-raff in check. He's also one of the trickiest fighters in the MKX roster, both to play as and to fight. All three of his variations offer traits that make life difficult for your opponent, be it a constant damaging aura, the ability to go completely invisible, or the power to slow down time in a manner similar to The Flash in Injustice.

Ferra and Torr seems like the only two people in the entire Mortal Kombat universe who are having any fun. Maybe Johnny Cage is too, but his ironic detachment makes it hard to tell. This gruesome twosome seem to genuinely enjoy the act of fighting and living in a universe governed by martial arts contests. I guess that’s the magic of friendship. Anyone who will join you to stand up against immortal thunder gods and dead wizards is a friend indeed.

Kotal Kahn's right-hand insect-woman is as deadly as she is creepy. When she's not lashing out with the humongous pincers that spring out of her back, D'Vorah likes to spray bug juices from her wrist-mounted maggot friend or release a swarm of god-knows-what from her chest cavity. And if you look closely, you'll see that her peepers are textured like a bee's compound eyes. For those who like to get underneath their opponent's skin as well as up in their face during combat, D'Vorah's the right pick.

Most people think Raiden is the god of thunder, but in actuality he’s the god of making the most out of a bad situation. Life just doesn’t let up on the poor guy. First it was some vague prophecy from the future, then a bunch of his friends died, and now some guy that looks like Emperor Palpatine is plotting world domination. It just never ends. But Raiden doesn't complain. Instead, he makes those really silly kung-fu noises while torpedoing someone across the screen.

When you’re playing Quan Chi, you’re thinking with portals. His whole fighting style is based on messing with the other player’s head, making him one of the most enjoyable combatants to take into the ring. One minute you’re hypnotizing the other player and making them act like a zombie, the next you’re summoning a hellbat to rain death from above. And the portals! Quan Chi is constantly sticking his hands, swords, and other players into portals and tossing them all over the screen. He may be evil, but you can’t go wrong with this tricksy necromancer.

'Press X to Goro' has become something of a minor meme among MKX players, since this hulking, four-armed Shokan warrior constantly stares at you from the character select screen, as if insisting that you buy him as DLC if you don't already have him as a pre-order reward. But for those who prefer the 'brute force' approach, Goro can really bring the pain with his flurry of punches and screen-crossing leap attack. And that Fatality where he tears off all your limbs at once is just brutal.

Whether you'd like to wade into battle with Captain America's shield, have the acrobatic ability of Black Widow, or smash everything like the Hulk, it's possible to step into your favorite hero's shoes. But rather than expose yourself to gamma radiation or invent an invincible suit of armor, you can just play video games. The Avengers have shown up in plenty of games, allowing you to play the part of the hero. Want to become your favorite superhero? Well, I've gathered together some of the best representations of each Avengers: Age of Ultron hero in games, right here.

Captain America is the greatest soldier that ever lived. He's got the conscience of a saint, and the strength and skill to take on just about any supervillain you could throw at him. If you really want to get the feeling of what it's like to be Cap from the movies, Captain America: Super Soldier is where it's at.

In Super Soldier, you play out Cap's World War II days as he battles Red Skull and his army of technologically advanced super soldiers. I'm not going to lie, Super Soldier isn't the most polished comic book-based superhero game you'll ever play. However, it does have a strong Batman Arkham series-style combat system at work that makes battling Hydra goons a blast.

If playing the star spangled Captain isn't your jam, there's always the Avengers’ most popular member. Yes, Iron Man has had his own movie tie-in games and he has been in a few side-scrolling beat 'em ups, but none of those games make the billionaire, playboy, philanthropist timidating or fun to play than in the Marvel vs Capcom series. Tony Stark is all about the glitz and the glam, and what better way to embrace that part of the character than in a flashy, fan service-flooded fighting game.

Even if Tony Stark seems to be wearing a bulky, inflexible, robot suit, he's just as quick with face busting punches and kicks as the next super-powered fighter. Iron Man uses a ton of his signature gadgets and attacks in his moveset, from his uni-beam chest blast to shoulder missiles, but the most memorable one is definitely his Hyper move. When activated, Iron Man pulls out a massive proton cannon that fires an energy beam that covers half the screen.

If you want to be a real beefcake superhero, you want to play as Thor. The god of thunder is right up there with the most powerful heroes to ever sign up for the Avengers team. He has a hammer that only he can pick up, the power of lightning at his fingertips, and strength to rival the Hulk. But as with Iron Man, Thor's console movie tie-ins haven't been the most well received. Surprisingly, you can get the most satisfying thunder god action on the Nintendo DS.

Thor: God of Thunder on the DS is a movie tie-in game based on the Marvel movie universe, but it takes place before the events of the first Thor movie. It's a simple brawler with a thoroughly entertaining combat system, memorable boss encounters, and some pretty impressive characters and environment art. The game is a little bit retro and totally kick ass - not unlike Thor himself.

When you want to play a game as the indestructible, incredible Hulk, really all you want to do is jump over buildings and smash everything in sight. After all, "Hulk smash," is what the big green guy does. The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction lets you do that, and it's the best thing ever.

Ultimate Destruction is an open-world game that gives you free reign to explore and demolish an entire city. You can leap over tall buildings, throw cars into attacking helicopters, and weaponize ripped appart vehicles as you fight off Hulk Buster robots and the military's tanks. No other Hulk game makes you feel like a gamma ray-powered monster like Ultimate Destruction does. Even though the game came out two console generations ago, this title is still the best Hulk experience you're going to get.

Thanks to Scarlett Johansson's version of Black Widow in the Marvel movies, the Russian spy has become one of the more popular Marvel superheroes. Now we just need a game that stars the Avengers’ most dangerous secret agent. But that hasn't happened yet, and to this day Black Widow has only been a side-character or included on massive rosters like that of the Lego Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel Ultimate Alliance games.

If you want to jump in on the action as Black Widow, Lego Marvel Super Heroes does the character justice. The Lego titles give plenty of attention to every character on the hero rosters, and Black Widow is no different. In Lego Marvel Super Heroes, you have all of the neck snapping, acrobatic combat moves, high-tech gadgets, and weapons you see Black Widow use in the movies.

Like Black Widow, Hawkeye hasn't shown up in games as much more than a support or side character. Poor Hawk Guy doesn't always get all of the respect that he deserves. With his pinpoint accuracy, arsenal of you-name-it arrowheads, and quippy personality, it's a wonder why he hasn't had his own game yet. But, if you want to play as Hawkeye, you'll want to check out Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 not only lets you play as Hawkeye, you can level him up to earn skills that allow you to fire electrified, ice, and armor piercing arrows. Plus, there are four costume types to choose from. So, you can dress in outfit ranging from the classic purple costume, to the Ultimates look (which is very close to the movie costume).

If you have the hankering to fight supervillains as the entire team of Avengers, the Marvel Ultimate Alliance series is what you're looking for. You can assemble a group of superheroes from a roster of dozens of upgradeable Marvel characters with alternate costumes - including just about every character mentioned in this article. You even get an attribute bonus if your group consists of all Avenger members.

There are also classic side-scrolling brawlers such as Captain America and the Avengers which is one of the few chances you can actually choose to play as the Vision - a newly-added character in the Marvel movie universe. That's all I have for you this time true believers. Were there any other outstanding Avengers games I missed? Let me know in the comments below.

Royal sons in games have much more variety in their lives than in the real world, where they just sell corned beef and pies in tins. Grocery joke for you there. We’ve seen princes puffed up with noble quests, ousted princes fighting for their birthright, orphans unaware that they’re even princes – even digital doppelgangers of Buckingham Palace bluebloods (as in 8-bit butler sim Flunky). On the whole they have it better than gaming’s princesses, who rarely get to do more than sigh, shrug and be kidnapped. Let’s seek an audience with some of the good eggs and bad lads of royal bearing…

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It's been an emotional time for Silent Hill fans. This roller coaster of disappointments kicks off with developer Konami confirming . The playable teaser at first seemed destined for an early grave, only to defy all expectations and continue haunting the PS4 - though, for how long, is anyone's guess. Hopefully none of you dropped any fat stacks on a P.T.-installed PlayStation over on eBay.

Between the loss of Silent Hills and the turbulence surrounding P.T., there is definitely a pyramid-shaped hole in all our hearts. That's why I've compiled this list of the best Silent Hill fan-games developed by the community, as a way to help us all cope with our continued need to freak ourselves right-the-flip out. The next new Silent Hill game feels further away now than ever, but perhaps these entries will help the horror hit closer to home.

By all accounts, Alchemilla General Hospital is a top-notch medical facility, provided you don't mind the bloody handwriting on the walls or the twisted faces of its caretakers. Running on Source SDK 2013, which you can find under tools in your Steam Library, , Alchemilla isn't a "remake of any game from the Silent Hill series, [but] a completely original story with its own secrets to solve."

True to its namesake, Alchemilla Hospital is the real star of the show. Within its decrepit labyrinth of hallways, players will encounter all the blood, rust, and uncomfortably sexy nurses they've come to expect from Silent Hill. The game is also played entirely in first-person, devoid of combat but with a heavy emphasis on puzzle solving, not unlike a certain playable teaser. Make sure you have a pen and paper handy before jumping into this one.

If you and three friends have a long weekend to kill, consider slumming it in scenic Silent Hill. This 11-map-mega-marathon transforms Left 4 Dead into a highlight reel of Silent Hill's best. And make no mistake, it's a beast to finish - especially if you want to see all four endings (including a UFO ending). Seeing the fog-choked streets of Silent Hill flooded with zombies doesn't exactly gel with the series' tone, but there are genuinely cool moments to be had such as seeing your first zombie horde charge out of the endless mist.

This mod comes by way of developer , who has also authored another Silent Hill collection for Left 4 Dead 2 titled Otherside of Life, which is more of an homage to Silent Hill. It draws visual inspiration from that sleepy town, but is very much its own adventure. Leafo is currently working on porting his original Silent Hill mod from Left 4 Dead to Left 4 Dead 2, promising "minor changes to more than the aesthetic part of the campaign."

As if there wasn't already enough weird stuff happening in Fallout: New Vegas, someone had to throw Silent Hill into the mix. As the story goes - and there's a fair amount of story to be found here - the "great war" that devastated Fallout's world led to Silent Hill being "sealed away" underground. Naturally, the Enclave decided to do a little spelunking in this haunted town and suffered the consequences. And once you track the mysterious White Noise radio station to their dig site, you may end up meeting the same fate.

Fair warning: playing this mod takes patience. You get one quest early on stating "Enjoy your eternal stay in Silent Hill" and no quest markers. And because the quest starts with you being captured by the Enclave, all your fancy items and equipment get shelved for this outing. Hope you dropped some points in unarmed combat, because melee weapons are your lifeline in this ammo-scarce suburb, not unlike the real Silent Hill. Some extra ranks in sneaking will also save your life when you have to hide from a certain pyramid-headed horror.

finally answers the question: what would Silent Hill 2 be like if it took place on a sunny afternoon? The bright, colorful trappings inherent to Minecraft make this mod feel like more of a parody than a tribute. Instead of cautiously exploring fog-drenched alleyways and side streets, your avatar jauntily jogs down the road on a cloudless day. I'm shocked there aren't birds singing in the distance.

To be fair, there is a lot of creative effort on display in this mod. A Letter from Silent Heaven isn't just some Silent Hill-themed texture pack, it's a meticulous recreation of Silent Hill 2. There's no mining or crafting to speak of, just a dedicated survival adventure. "Countless hours of watching/recording in-game footage, navigating through level editors and texture viewers brought you this custom adventure map," notes author Vladimyr on the Minecraft forums. And it shows, right down to the look of the health drinks and the cries of the monsters. It's certainly a reconstruction unlike anything the series has seen before.

You wouldn't think the dark, violent world of Silent Hill would translate very well to Little Big Planet's cute, cuddly toy box, but leave it to the gaming community to make it happen. There are actually dozens upon dozens of fan-made Silent Hill-themed creations spanning the Little Big Planet series, far too many to parse through here. Some are nothing more than escape from a spooky hospital or run around in the fog, their only connection to Silent Hill a welcome sign or the iconic Halo of the Sun symbol.

Then there are ones that really go the extra mile, such as user MonkeyButler's stelar Silent Hill tribute for the original Little Big Planet. This 2D interpretation of the first Silent Hill is a sort of highlights reel from the game's opening hours, starting with your first visit to the other world through Midwich Elementary (and beyond). You can watch a very distressed Sackboy run through the whole thing .

Before making a name for himself with the 2D survival horror game Lone Survivor, developer Jasper Byrne created this NES-style remake of Silent Hill 2. Released as part of TIGSource's demakes competition in 2008, Soundless Mountain II is quite possibly the most adorable remake ever designed. The large heads and tiny bodies of its characters give the (limited) cast a sort of Charlie Brown-aesthetic, as if this were all just a really disturbing cartoon special.

As someone who enjoyed Lone Survivor, it's interesting to return to this game and spot the similarities. The 2D perspective, the look of the world, the way combat is handled: Soundless Mountain is just as much a trial run as it is a tribute. And unlike the other entries on this list, Soundless Mountain II isn't a mod for an existing game. It's a free standalone, which you can download from the developer's site. Too bad it was never finished, as the game abruptly ends once you reach the equivalent of Wood Side Apartments. A pixelated cutout of Pyramid Head in the credits teases what could have been.

In keeping with the spirit of Silent Hill, I thought I'd end this feature with a weird one. It should come as no surprise that someone out there got the rights to produce . By the looks of it, these are just your typical poker cards, but with spooky pictures of Silent Hill characters on them - specifically from 2008's Silent Hill: Homecoming. What is surprising is that a man named Don Riddle decided to create a fan-game using these cards called Silent Hill: Defeated that's sort of like a rust-colored, monster-filled version of Uno.

Looking over , it actually doesn't sound half bad. Up to three players are dealt a hand of cards, with the black suits representing monsters and the red suits representing heroes (and their weapons). Players then take turns playing different combinations of cards on top of each other to defeat whatever the last person put down (again, sort of like Uno). The first player to run out of cards frees themselves from Silent Hill's clutches and escapes. Just make sure you don't shoot Cybil on the merry-go-round, otherwise you'll get the bad ending.

In my opinion, these are the Silent Hill fan-games that top the charts, though they are not the only fan-games out there. Amnesia Hill almost made the cut, though its haunted house-vibe and tenuous connections to the source material ultimately held it back. There are also about a million "atmosphere mods" for Resident Evil 4 if you really want to play that with 100% more fog. My question to you is: are there any goods ones out there I missed? Personally, I hope there are, and if you know one be sure to drop it in the comments below. It might even get added to the feature.

Even the most virtuous saint can have a sinister streak. The important part is whether or not you actually act on those dark impulses. That's one of the things that make video games so interesting - you can have fun exploring your meaner instincts without worrying about hurting anyone, going to jail, or destroying anything important. But just because you're in a safe, digital environment, doesn't mean that there aren't any consequences to your actions.

Even when games give you carte blanche to run wild and destroy everything, there's still a good chance that the developers have snuck in some kind of morality to, erm, 'nudge' you in the right direction. Whether that means sending an army after your to punish you for your transgressions or just killing you outright, these games make a point to teach you a lesson for your evil, evil ways.

This is classic video game punishment that still has the power to mentally scar anyone who dares attempt it. Attacking those innocent, feathery Cuccos that appear throughout Hyrule will cause them to swarm after you in a frenzied rage, and the only way to get them to stop is to leave the current area. It's a staple of the series, appearing in games like A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and even spin-offs like Hyrule Warriors. Luckily, one or two hits won't set them off - you have to be incredibly deliberate in your quest to draw their ire.

Samus Aran may not talk a lot, but she's generally considered a good, kind-hearted person, always showing up to save the day when duty (or a few dollars) calls. But Metroid Prime 3 lets you take a few potshots at one of its few NPCs milling about near the beginning. You can't actually hurt them, but if you keep it up, a little turret drops down to defend them from your senseless aggression. Blow that turret up, and another, stronger one drops down to replace it. Destroy that one, and an even bigger turret shows up, and .

Shadow Warrior takes the "retribution against animal cruelty" to a whole new level. Most of the creatures you can eviscerate in the 2013 reboot deserve it, as the only thing that doesn't want to kill you outright are some bunnies you'll see milling about and… *ahem* getting amorous with each other. Try to interrupt their lovemaking by shooting them, however, and suddenly these innocent rabbits start hunting you down with lightning-quick speed while heavy metal blares in the background. Lesson learned.

No one likes a team killer, but Conker's Bad Fur Day's will actually call you out on your indiscretions. Take out too many of your own teammates, and you'll be branded a traitor. Soon, you'll find that there's nowhere to hide, as your AI compatriots will hunt you down until someone finally kills you. The final insult comes as they shout things like "Fucking traitor!" as they pump you full of lead.

The Badi Dea (say it fast) is a Star Destroyer that originally showed up in the classic space-sim X-Wing. The name is a hint; you're supposed to run away from this behemoth as fast as you possibly can, before it and its endless waves of fighters shred your ship to bits. But in the semi-sequel TIE Fighter, the Badi Dea is one of your allies - unless you decide to take out one of the ships you're supposed to be protecting. Apparently, the Empire considers this to be treason (with good reason), and sends the Badi Dea after you. It won't stop until you've been pounded into so much space dust.

Many games don't like it when you attack animals with wanton cruelty, but Metal Gear Solid 2 is one of the few to actually try to make you feel really guilty about it. Once you first climb out of the depths of the Big Shell and into the sunlight, you'll notice that the sky is filled with seagulls - who are more than willing to take a crap on you if you stand in one place for too long. If you spend too much time getting revenge by shooting them out of the sky, you'll get a call from the Colonel and your girlfriend Rose, asking you, in so many words, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" You can't even save your game until you apologize to Rose. You know what you did.

Half of the fun of those old King's Quest games was trying to outsmart the text parser by typing in random stuff and seeing if the game would do something with it. In some situations, it actually would - usually with hilarious results. If you walk into the church in King's Quest 2 and , the game actually throws up its hands in disgust. "Anyone who would kill a man of the cloth doesn't deserve to play this game. Therefore, we will end it," the game reads, promptly killing you dead on the spot. A simple "no" would have sufficed.

Consider this the home stretch before all the new hotness. As April comes to a close and we look back on the first third of 2015, it's clear that gaming has been a bit too reliant on remasters and rereleases this year. With exciting, big-budget sequels like just on the horizon, the wait can be almost unbearable - but the best games of April 2015 can help ease the pain. Time flies when you're having fun, so we're told.

Every month, we look back at the best games of 2015 thus far, sorting out all the must-plays from the rest of the recent releases. That way, you know what to prioritize before you're inundated by all the other amazing . So, without further ado, here's what you should be playing right now to tide you over until next month.

It takes a lot to make a fighting game appeal to the masses. You need slick graphics, excellent presentation, and the kind of depth that'll ensnare those highly skilled players who people want to watch. has got all that, and more. While the Fatality finishers still pack in more gore than you can shake a disembodied limb at, MKX brings a lot of new, refreshing ideas to the table that really make this fighter stand out.

For starters, there's the variations mechanic: every combatant has three unique movesets to choose from before each fight, letting character loyalists mix things up and giving the roster a wildly diverse variety of playstyles. You'll also have a blast playing through the elaborate story mode, which introduces a swath of likeable newcomers while imbuing familiar faces with . The online play still has a few kinks that could be worked out, but fans of the Mortal Kombat series - or fighting games in general - will have one hell of a time with MKX.

Of all the re-releases that have come out this year, .

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is massive, sporting one of the most interesting locales ever designed. Its sprawling swamps and rolling hills - all set on the backs of two titan-sized dead gods and filled with beasts both great and small - are practically begging to be conquered. While its lush, verdant landscapes lose a little luster and detail on the smaller screen, what you trade in graphical quality you gain back in portability. Being able to take an adventure of this magnificent scope with you wherever you go is a technical marvel. Don't miss it.

somehow manages to be diamond tough and lovingly tender at the same time, balancing out its demanding difficulty with a story that'll practically yank your heartstrings right out of your chest. Playing this open-world platformer puts you in a wondrous state of conflict: the tight controls inspire you to run free throughout the lush world, but the sheer depth of the beyond-gorgeous backdrop art makes you want to stand still and gaze at the environment for hours.

The protagonist Ori is such a cute li'l critter that it's hard to watch the fuzzball die again and again while you struggle to overcome the many deathtraps and spike pits in this treacherous forest. But you'll get over any bruises to your ego, so long as you remember that you're the one responsible for plunking down checkpoints before delving into the trickier bits. The degree of challenge here may rattle anyone without an affinity for hardcore 2D platformers, but Ori's dazzling presentation has a universal, heartfelt appeal.

You’ve probably heard that is really hard. You might've heard it’s really easy. The reality lies somewhere in between. Yes, it sends an army of writhing, fanged, flayed, terrible, tormented beasts your way, beasts only someone bragging about their perceived gamer cred would ever deem a pushover. But it teaches you how to deal with them expertly, their unique attacks and defenses and behaviors, building you up until you look and feel like a great gothic badass. And when you do, you'll have earned it.

In streamlining some of Dark Souls’ complexities (the weight system, magic attacks, a few character skills here and there), Bloodborne gains a rawer sense of immediacy, with vital combat that require relentless attacking sans the comfort blanket of a shield, and unpredictable bosses that force you to develop reflexes alongside your already honed skills of pattern memorization. Oh, and the world. That mystifying, atmospheric, intricately hewn world. Developed for PS4 from the ground-up, the enigmatic Yarnham looks like a beautiful waking nightmare.

If you've yet to succumb to monster hunting fever, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. Plenty of games let you battle vicious beasties and craft fancy gear - but few can develop the kind of player investment and cooperative dedication typical of Monster Hunter. For the uninitiated, is a great way to educate yourself on its gloriously addictive ways. Not just because it's the most beginner-friendly entry in Capcom's hit series - it's also the best Monster Hunter game yet.

Gathering materials and killing harmless herbivores is really just a build-up to something greater: downing fearsome creatures after incredibly demanding battles that require true mastery of your chosen weapon. Series vets are already familiar with MH's captivating gameplay loop of fighting and looting, but the new Charge Blade and Insect Glaive playstyles offer entirely unique ways to test your prowess. If you're looking to start or join a dedicated hunting party - preferably with an expert as your guide - Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate offers the kind of adventure that can hook you for hundreds of hours.

Majora's Mask is... well, it's a bit weird. Instead of following the familiar formula that Zelda games have stuck to for years, Majora's Mask asks that you play the same three days over and over again, trying to make the world a little bit brighter each time. It's certainly strange, and more than a little stressful - but taking the time to learn its rhythm opens up one of the most intriguing and creative Legend of Zelda games ever made. Perhaps that's why, 15 years and a 3DS port later, it feels even better than ever.

Much of that feeling is thanks to the improvements found in this portable version of the N64 classic. The updated Bomber's Notebook makes tracking numerous sidequests a painless process, boss design has been retooled to make things teresting, and additional save points help make portable adventuring much more palatable. Plus, New 3DS owners even have some improved camera control with the C-Stick. Whether this is your first time playing through those ominous 72 hours or your hundredth, is a master quest that stands the test of time.

Grim Fandango is, without a doubt, one of the most unique video games ever made. The quest of an undead travel agent as he attempts to atone for his sins is a love letter to film noir greats like Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, but it also transcends its influences to be something truly original. And with , you'll finally get to play this lost classic on your PlayStation 4, complete with (some) updated graphics and a fantastic re-recording of the original score.

Grim Fandango is also one of the most uniquely frustrating games ever made, and the Remastered edition only serves to highlight its many game-ruining bugs. Whether it's glitching out a puzzle, clipping you through a wall, or just flat out crashing, Grim Fandango Remastered actually seems buggier now than it did 17 years ago. Make no mistake: Manny's journey is still definitely one worth revisiting - just remember to save your game. Often.

sounds kinda ridiculous at first - it's literally a remastered HD version of a rebuilt SD version of the original Resident Evil. Turns out the joke's on us, though, because that's all we really needed to enjoy the survival horror staple all over again: the HD Remake gives all the main characters and the Spencer Mansion an enticing facelift but keeps the little quirks that make Resident Evil awesome/a total headache/undeniably unique.

You'll still need to manage eight (at most) inventory slots, and you'll still need to keep your distance from downed zombies - or preferably burn them on the spot. The most major change is the new default control scheme, which makes it handle more like a modern fixed-camera game, but you're free to select the old 'tank' controls if you want. With modern conveniences where it needs them and good old weirdness where it doesn't, Resident Evil HD Remake is a near masterpiece… of unlocking.

Those are some of the games that made their mark in 2015, but they won't be the last. Stay tuned to this page to see what will are the best games for every month this year. Only time will tell!

For formation on 2015's releases, be sure to check out our list of the .

If you're reading this, it may already be too late. As of April 29th, 2015, P.T. - the playable teaser for the - will be gone from PSN, presumably forever. This tragic loss (especially for those who have never, and now may never, play it) exemplifies the most terrifying drawback of the digital distribution methods we've grown to love. When a downloadable game gets delisted, it effectively ceases to exist for anyone who doesn't already own it.

But P.T. isn't the only great game to be struck down by a delisting. PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, eShop, and Steam have all discarded their fair share of games, typically because of red tape like unrenewed licensing agreements. And while some of those exiled titles are no great loss, the following delistings may throw you into a state of deep despair upon realizing all the games you could have been enjoying if only you had acted sooner. If you bought these when they were available and still have 'em saved to a hard drive somewhere, thank your lucky stars. If you don't, then things are about to get very emotional.

Now nowhere to be found on: XBLA, PSN

I'll kick things off with the one I hate myself for missing the most. Scott Pilgrim is a comic-turned-film that's heavily inspired by retro gaming culture, and The Game channeled all that nostalgic energy into a four-player beat-'em-up with a sublime 16-bit style. The audio-visual department was every geek's dream, with an art team lead by the stupidly talented and a delightfully blippy soundtrack from renowned chiptune band Anamanaguchi. I've realized too late that I'd quite like to take the fight to Ramona Flowers' seven evil exes, but it seems Ubisoft wasn't too keen on renewing this license at the end of 2014. That pretty much leaves 'moaning in powerless agony' as my only remaining option.

Now nowhere to be found on: XBLA, PSN

A few years after comics giant Marvel was acquired by Disney, there was a sort of great purge for online storefront items related to its iconic superheroes. Notable losses include Deadpool and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but the delistings that hit the hardest for fighting game fans were Marvel vs. Capcom Origins, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and all the brilliant DLC for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. The former two games (three, if you factor in that Marvel Super Heroes was bundled into Origins) still exist in increasingly rare disc form, but MvC3 characters Jill Valentine and Shuma-Gorath have completely faded into the aether of lost DLC, along with all the downloadable costumes that really packed in the fan-pleasing references. By choosing not to renew its fighting game licenses with Capcom, Disney took me for a ride, alright... a ride into utter sadness.

Now nowhere to be found on: XBLA

This was less of an actual downloadable game and more of a fun social experiment. Based on the game show of the same name, 1 vs. 100 is the ultimate in unfair odds, where a lone player (given the Neo-esque title of 'The One') must answer trivia questions correctly in the face of 100 people who desperately want to see The One get it wrong. The main attraction was the Live Show mode, complete with an on-air host (with their own Xbox Avatar) doing color commentary, as well as interviews with folks like Major Nelson and prizes that were worth actual money. After two 13-week 'seasons', Microsoft called it quits, and 1 vs. 100 became forever lost to time. For many gamers, it'll probably be the closest they'll ever come to taking part in a bona fide game show. But hey, there's always the abysmal DS version (hosted by none other than Bob Saget).

Now nowhere to be found on: Steam

In case you didn't know, Outrun 2006 is among the , it's pretty damn difficult to argue. For a while, Sega's sunny convertible racer was available for download on Steam, with the kind of crisp textures that the PS2 and Xbox versions could only dream of. Alas, Sega's lapsed Ferrari license prevents any future downloads of Outrun 2006 (or its sequel, Outrun Online Arcade). The game's still out there, but these days, asking someone to buy a physical disc for an old PC game is like telling a millennial who can't find a movie on Netflix to just borrow the DVD from their local library. Yes, they could do that, but will they? Probably not.

Now nowhere to be found on: XBLA, PSN

Back in the '90s, Konami brought the ruckus when it came to quarter-munching arcade beat-'em'-ups. Whether you were playing alone or in a dedicated co-op party of four, bopping bad guys in X-Men, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Simpsons Arcade Game was nothing short of glorious. All three of these classic tie-in brawlers eventually made a comeback with downloadable ports - and all three have now been banished to the void of expired licenses, never to be renewed. If you had the foresight to snatch these up when they were available, please invite me over some time so I can relive all those happy arcade memories. I'll bring pizza!

Now nowhere to be found on: 3DS eShop

I warn you, this delisting is just inexplicably mean, and may cause The Legend of Zelda fans who missed out to weep the bitterest of tears. Nintendo had good intentions on this road to hell, deciding to celebrate the Zelda series' 25th anniversary with a free gift. An amazing one, at that: a DSiWare port of Four Swords, the four-player co-op adventure full of inventive puzzles and friendly griefing among the color-coded quartet of Links. Best of all, the local multiplayer is wireless, without any pricey link cables necessary. The Anniversary Edition was available at no charge from September 2011 to February 2012, then again during the first month of 2014 - but if you didn't download it during those timeframes, it's now completely unobtainable. Does Nintendo not realize how many people would happily pay money for this port, if only it would let them?

Now nowhere to be found on: XBLA, PSN

It's all about the timing with this particularly unfortunate delisting. After Burner Climax is in the same boat as Outrun 2006: a SegaAM2 arcade classic given a faithful reboot in three lush dimensions. Amazingly, Climax retains the same blazing mach speeds of its predecessors, as you gun down legions of enemy bogeys from your sleek jet fighter. To avoid renewing licenses with real-world aircraft companies, Sega announced in December 2014 that it would be pulling Climax from online storefronts on Christmas Eve, of all days. Then, in a shocking twist, the game suddenly disappeared a week ahead of schedule, with no explanation given. For those prospective buyers who thought they would have more time, it was like the horrifying inverse of an early Christmas present from Sega.

Now nowhere to be found on: XBLA

This one holds a special place in my heart for being the first XBLA game I ever downloaded. All you have to do in this simple 3D platformer is guide a marble to a goal as fast as possible, utilizing power-ups and momentum-accelerating trickery to cut corners and improve your time. It's just as devilishly addictive as Super Monkey Ball, but with larger, more forgiving levels and 100% fewer simians. In a cruel twist of fate, developer GarageGames retains the rights to the Marble Blast engine but not the games themselves, so Ultra got ejected in 2011. The good news is, a PC port is (somehow) . The bad news is that all those stunningly impressive leaderboard replays of the best times (and some oh-so-satisfying Achievements) are gone forever.

Now nowhere to be found on: 3DS eShop

A generation of gamers will always associate handheld gaming with Tetris for the original Game Boy, since it came bundled in with Nintendo's landmark portable system. Those 8-bit visuals have the power to practically transport you back in time, so nostalgia surely played a part in Tetris' popularity on the 3DS Virtual Console market. But all that reminiscing came to a screeching halt when Ubisoft acquired the legendary puzzle license to make Tetris Ultimate, putting the kibosh on eShops sales of Tetris Axis and Tetris for Game Boy in the process. Boo, I say.

Now nowhere to be found on: XBLA, PSN

There've been plenty of casualties when it comes to digital versions of excellent tabletop games, with winners like Catan, Lost Cities, and Risk: Factions all getting the boot at one point or another. But nothing could sting quite as much as the delisting of Uno, the fast, easy-to-grasp card game that typically induces bouts of excited yelling. Not only could you play Uno when all the participants lived in different states - there was also the option to put custom house rules into effect, or spice up the deck with themed DLC (including some Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix goodness). And here's the kicker: the whole shebang cost less than an actual deck of Uno cards. Now it's gone. Excuse me, I... I need a moment.