Fire Emblem: Awakening

Remember that Star Wars scene when R2D2 and Chewie are playing 3D holo-monster chess (dejarik to the geekier amongst us)? The latest Fire Emblem for 3DS is kinda like that at its root. But rather than just having three-dimensional fighters squaring off on a grid, Fire Emblem also grafts on a fantasy RPG epic and an anime war drama. The 13th entry in this series is a tactical turn-based strategy game, a methodical and deep game genre that's always been a good fit for handhelds. But what has critics tossing around game-of-the-year hosannas with snow still on the ground isn't just the complex combat but the equally complex character development and storytelling. You play an amnesiac who, you guessed it, awakens in a field and joins a militia known as the Shepherds defending their homeland from invading warriors and monsters. But the heart of the game is the soldiers themselves and the romantic and platonic relationships that they form between battles.