This game is massive, and as your character’s stature in the Wasteland grows, so does the excitement. It’s not a true sequel to the Fallout series, but as a fan of the games of old, I found it to be every bit as good.

Reliving the choices of the first Mass Effect as an interactive comic book pales in comparison to importing your own Commander Shepard. However, aside from that consistency in the universe, Mass Effect 2 is just as good on PS3 as it is on 360. [Feb 2011, p.98]

Over the years, Capcom has experimented with several different approaches to Resident Evil, but this is one approach I hope gets revisited. Resident Evil 2 not only looks great, it plays well, and it forces you into a series of dark encounters that are a total rush. Resident Evil is finally running on all cylinders.

Co-op changes your approach to survival horror, and the masterful pacing ensures you never take your eye off the action. Like its predecessor, Resident Evil 5 is destined to be remembered as one of the best games of its time.

This is the role-playing engine that has ever been invented. [Oct 2002, p.92]

Batman: Arkham Asylum is this year's "BioShock," not just from the connection established with the world, but from its ability to innovate where new ideas are needed, and moreover, deliver an adventure unlike any other. [Sept 2009, p.82]

Independently, Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta were standout efforts that helped make a name for Ready At Dawn. When you put them together in the Origins Collection, you get two amazing and upgraded adventures in one $40 package that no fan of action games should miss.

You couldn’t pick a better time to try Destiny if you haven’t yet. The Taken King is a testament to Bungie’s craftsmanship and its ability to listen to the feedback from the players who both loved and hated year one. The studio has given us a game that truly is legend.

Though WoW doesn't radically differ from the tried-and-true MMORPG formula, the subtle tweaks, additions, and special layer of Blizzard polish make it an amazing and fresh experience. [Feb 2005, p.122]

The Taken King ultimately is what the players – and probably even Bungie – always wanted Destiny game to be. The improvements to the user interface and quest system alone make the game so much more playable, but they quickly fade to the background once you dig into the content.

Quotation unavailable.

Freelancer will serve to delight and enrapture. The online portion alone is worth the purchase, but I'd be shocked if you didn't spend at least 50 to 60 hours on the single-player campaign. [May 2003, p.92]

Simultaneously embraces links to the past while offering numerous innovations that keep gameplay fresh, exciting, and a true joy to play. [Feb 2005, p.124]

The title features more modes, settings, and ways to engage than any game in the series I can recall. The blazing new Blackout mode steals the zeitgeist of the battle royale’s thunder, packaging it in a polished, powerful entry to the burgeoning genre. If you’re willing to eschew single-player completely, the payoff is worth it.

The title features more modes, settings, and ways to engage than any game in the series I can recall. The blazing new Blackout mode steals the zeitgeist of the battle royale’s thunder, packaging it in a polished, powerful entry to the burgeoning genre. If you’re willing to eschew single-player completely, the payoff is worth it.

Its weighty combat, difficult choices with real consequences, and fascinating storylines are some of the best gaming has ever seen. I can no longer lord it over the console masses with this one, though, because this long-in-development Xbox 360 port is just as amazing as the original. It's actually better than it was at launch... [May 2012, p.82]

The new content is spectacular, and fans of the series will absolutely adore this special edition...One of the greatest titles in the history of gaming. [Feb 2004, p.113]

Ultimately, this collection isn’t much more than the sum of its parts, but that is hardly a bad thing considering the quality of the parts. If you still haven’t played the God of War series, you aren’t just missing out on great games. You’re missing pieces of gaming history.

Everything about this title is simply executed on a level that we rarely see outside a few elite development studios. [July 2006, p.108]

The newest chapter in the undead uprising now oozes with even more of the proven developer’s trademark personality and polish. If you are among those who think the sequel is coming too soon, prepare to eat your words like so many brains. Left 4 Dead 2 is everything a sequel should be: perfected, expanded, and an absolute riot.

If you enjoy listening to the broadcast, NHL 2002's dual commentary is the best I've ever heard in the game. [Nov 2001, p.104]

Its stunning visual style, high concept story, and wildly open level design are like nothing else, even if too much repetition begins to frustrate in the later hours. It’s a game people will still be talking about five years from now.

I was doing stuff that at least looked neat right away. Then, the game got harder, and I got better. This is one of the title's strongest points - a perfect ramp-up of difficulty and skill acquisition. [Nov 2003, p.154]

The bar for the next generarion of RPG's has been set. [May 2006, p.92]

With extremely tight controls and finely tuned balance, the core fighting mechanics and local multiplayer are spot on. There’s still nothing like learning the intricacies of every character, discovering possibly the most unlockables in any game yet, and using all of that to beat the crap out of your friends late into the night.

The speed and polish of UT 2004 cannot be denied. [May 2004, p.104]

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate isn’t dramatically reinventing the franchise, but that’s all right with me; it’s a refinement of what’s come before. Some of my favorite gaming moments have centered on Smash, and it’s great to have a solid new anchor for moments yet to come – even if it means getting knocked into oblivion by a snoozing Jigglypuff every once in a while.

BioWare has not only made a sweet combat system, but the game's universe itself is a joy. [May 2005, p.118]

I'm glad that games don't have feelings. If they did, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence would be the over-achiever that makes the games around it feel embarrassingly inadequate. [Apr 2006, p.121]

Certainly a great addition to the EQ universe, but falls short of the "Scars of Velious" expansion, which is still the best in the series simply because it offered so much content. [Jan 2003, p.118]

Super Paper Mario's seemingly simple concept - giving the player the ability to flip between 2D and 3D worlds - pays off in level designs that are nothing short of brilliant.

It's like a simple "Sims"...but it's a lot of fun, I swear. [Oct 2002, p.86]

I would recommend buying Madden over all other franchises 100 times out of 100 to any Xbox owner. [Sept 2002, p.89]

Blue Prince is everything I want in an indie game: a unique, creative idea brought to life with expert execution. Its combination of roguelikes and puzzle games feels effortless, with each aspect boosting my enjoyment of the other. Like the best puzzle games, it makes the player feel smart, and like the best roguelikes, it makes the player infinitely hungry for another run. Ultimately, Blue Prince is about mysteries. It harnesses the innate, burning curiosity one feels when seeing a closed door at the end of a hallway and crafts it into an unforgettable experience.

Neon White achieves everything it sets out to with remarkable success. Not only is it one of the most entertaining experiences I've played in years, but it also speaks to a highly specific audience many just don't anymore. It's for weirdos, misfits, and dorks. Neon White is one of the best games of the year, and it'd be a colossal mistake not to check it out...If you're able, we highly recommend playing on PC – particularly with a mouse.

Ghost of Tsushima captures the mystique, fierce violence, and barely contained emotional angst of the great samurai films. The line of inspiration is clearly purposeful; Sucker Punch included a gorgeous “Kurosawa Mode,” which sets a black-and-white, film-grain, audio-treated effect that doubles down on the classic cinematic vibe. It’s well worth turning on, if only for a few missions. But even beyond that cool feature, this is a game that nails the aesthetic it’s shooting for, firmly establishing itself as the medium’s defining samurai saga.

Doom: The Dark Ages is modern Doom executed better than ever. It’s a bloody, challenging, and strategic thrill ride that tested my skills, forced me to catch my breath, and always had me asking for more. With the Shield Saw and other great additions, id Software gives me something I didn’t know I wanted, proving once again that this legendary series can still evolve in ways we haven’t even dreamed of.

Players can influence the way every action, subpolot, and mission plays out to an uparalleled degree. [Jan 2004, p.152]

It looks much better than it does in the movies. This is a blasphemous statement for George Lucas fanboys, yet one that speaks volumes. [Dec 2001, p.96]

There wasn't one moment during my time with this game that I wasn't engaged and having fun. Ultimately, that's the mark of a great title in any genre. [May 2005, p.106]

The Last of Us is a deeply felt, shockingly violent game that questions what we're willing to sacrifice and, more disturbingly, what we're willing to do so save the ones we love. The conclusion offers no easy answers. You won't forget it.

Never before have I seen this level of detail in a PC game. Unreal II blows the lid off the graphical standards we as PC gamers have set, and elevates the playing field to an unprecedented level. [Mar 2003, p.90]

Quadrilateral Cowboy is a strange, fantastic journey that will likely charm and test you in equal measure. I expect to come back to it many times over the next few months despite having completed it, searching the environments for nuggets of the story hidden away in the corners of each level and striving to become the best thief this side of cyberspace.

Honestly, the only crowd that I can imagine not enjoying Kirby is jaded gamers who are too cool for something so whimsical. Whatever the case, they're missing out on a colorful, unique game that reminds me of why I fell in love with gaming back on my NES: imagination, challenge, and fun.

With its moving story and deft execution, Fable is quite literally the adventure of a lifetime. [Oct 2004, p.138]

God of War Ragnarök feels a lot like God of War (2018), which is a compliment considering how fantastic that game is. Sony Santa Monica was right to not break what wasn’t broken and it has expertly continued the story threads that were left hanging from the previous game. Any complaints about the overall experience (familiar combat, collecting and leveling up equipment isn’t particularly interesting) are quickly forgotten in the face of the compelling narrative, believable character relationships, and incredible visuals and animation. Even from its early PlayStation 2 days, the God of War series has always set a high, quality bar for itself, and with few exceptions, it manages to leap above that bar. God of War Ragnarök is no different.

These are just a few of the dozens of minor tweaks to what was already an incredibly strong formula. Firaxis' newest entry in the Civilization series isn't a game changer, because the game was already great. However, Civilization VI could easily be the pinnacle of the series.

It may not live up to the lofty standards recently displayed in "Twilight Princess", but this adventure is worthy of Zelda canon, and still has enough great stuff going for it to be considered one of the year's best adventures. [Oct 2007, p.126]

With an awesome combat system, sweet graphics, slick characters, a solid one player mode, and gore, what else could you want? [Jan 2003, p.110]

The core mission of any game is to create a world that the players want to get lost in, and Okami delivers on this in every way--with the gameplay, with the graphics, and with the story. [Oct. 2006, p.96]

In all, the new stuff adds more than 30 percent to the top of the already full-featured title. [May 2006, p.97]

Assassin’s Creed II is a complex, mature, and engaging journey from beginning to end. It stands as a benchmark for design that combines innovative ideas with tried-and-true techniques to create one of the great games of this generation.

Ubisoft has forged a sequel that has the uncanny ability to knock your socks off through every second of play. [May 2004, p.102]

With online play, a great assortment of well-known tuner cars, a killer soundtrack, and some addictive gameplay, Need for Speed: Underground blows the doors off other racers. It gets my vote for racing game of the year, easy. [Dec 2003, p.126]

Wonderlands is upbeat and fun from start to finish, offering a rewarding adventure filled with goofy characters, imaginative bosses, and a great sense of ownership over your character through it all. Even with one of Borderlands' most loved characters leading the charge, this experience feels like the start of something new: a rare spinout from an existing series that deserves just as much of the spotlight. As someone who has played plenty of Dungeons & Dragons, I adored how often Wonderlands reminded me of rolling a 20-sided die with friends. It’s a love letter to on-the-spot creativity and friends enjoying each other’s company in a make-believe world.

The original LittleBigPlanet was impressive, but LittleBigPlanet 2 cements Media Molecule's position as masters of facilitating user-created content.

A near-perfect marriage between a furiously intense action title and a complex role-playing/simulation game. [Jan 2003, p.119]

Any disappointment series fans felt after ODST should be completely washed away thanks to Reach. Make no mistake about it - this is the true follow-up to Halo 3. It's also a perfect way for Bungie to part with the series it turned into a phenomenon. [Oct 2010, p.92]

Despite minor flaws, 1000xResist has firmly established itself as one of the most groundbreaking stories in video game history.

Shadow of War fulfills the promise of its predecessor, completing a dark and violent lost tale set within the world of The Lord of the Rings. I was initially frustrated by the liberties that Monolith takes with this beloved fiction (which are plentiful), but I eventually abandoned myself to the insanity, and fell down the rabbit hole into a superb fantasy adventure. Monolith captures the thrill of power with aplomb; the way it simultaneously speaks of its dangers and corrupting potential is the real magic.

Deserving of the highest accolades, Knights of the Old Republic is a dream come true for Star Wars fans, and the most noteworthy Xbox release since "Halo." [Aug 2003, p.94]

An overwhelming experience in its own right, Assassin's Creed III is the crown jewel on an already excellent series, and it sets the mind reeling about the potential for where the story goes from here.

The storytelling that weaves through these many threads is stellar. Rather than hiding from the complex themes of freedom versus control at the heart of the series, Assassin's Creed III confronts them head on, and tells a nuanced and adult story about the price of liberty, the dangers of extremism, and the connections that bind family.

The concept is simple, but a combination of stylized moves, tongue-in-cheek humor, and merciless difficulty make Viewtiful Joe absolutely irresistible. [Sept 2004, p.107]

This is one of the best co-op games I have played, especially when you crank the difficulty past Casual and up into the Hardcore and Insane levels. Working with your buddy to flank and outwit the enemy is a blast.

This game is massive, and as your character's stature in the Wasteland grows, so does the excitement. It's not a true sequel to the Fallout series, but as a fan of the games of old, I found it to be every bit as good.

The level of control that you have over your characters' actions is truly remarkable... Simply put, this is the best thing to happen to Star Wars since the original trilogy. [Feb 2004, p.112]

Balatro is an ingenious and entertaining roguelike and one of my favorite games of the year. Playing it has become a near-obsession; everything feels perfectly designed to encourage you to keep trying because that next run could be the run of your life. Even after hours of play, I still can’t overcome Balatro’s biggest challenge: putting it down.

Tiger just owns it in every category: graphics, unlockables, golfers, courses, modes, and everything else. This is hands-down the best golf game ever, and easily one of the best sports games in general. [Oct 2003, p.114]

As the series that pioneered fighting games, each new Street Fighter comes with weighty expectations. Street Fighter 6 confidently meets this hype, catering to neophytes and genre veterans by offering the most extensive array of offline offerings the franchise has ever seen alongside a flexible set of core systems and a diverse cast. Between its cohesive aesthetic, the bounty of clever features, and crisp central gameplay, it’s one of the most impressive entries the genre has seen in some time.

Then there's the online mode which I have to say is quite luscious. [Sept 2002, p.76]

In all, the new stuff adds more than 30 percent to the top of the already full-featured title. [May 2006, p.97]

Co-op changes your approach to survival horror, and the masterful pacing ensures you never take your eye off the action. Like its predecessor, Resident Evil 5 is destined to be remembered as one of the best games of its time.

Ghost of Sparta doesn't have any mind-blowing moments of sheer magnitude like the console entries, but it compensates with a handful of cool special sequences that fill in parts of Kratos' history and character.

Left 4 Dead 2 is swollen with action that will leave your controller sweaty and worn, and emerges as one of the most powerful online co-op experiences I have ever had.

ESPN NBA is not only one game but two, and they both kick ass... The best in video game basketball. [Nov 2003, p.146]

Firaxis' outstanding design strips away every last vestige of tedium from combat while maintaining the agency that makes the original such a classic...The PC version is slightly superior thanks to improved textures and resolution and drastically lower load times, but those are minor differences.

Super Mario 3D Land isn't perfect, but the few complaints I have (like the lack of variety in boss fights and some re-hashed levels) can't bring down this entertaining mix of nostalgia and innovation. It lives up to the level of quality set by previous entries and is easily the best reason to own a 3DS.

The story is fantastic, the world is breathtaking, and all of that pales in comparison to the wonderfully made gameplay that soars both as a platforming and combat game. Moon Studios has outdone itself with Will of the Wisps, delivering an experience that doesn’t have any lulls, makes the player feel clever, and just keeps getting better as it goes.

The story is fantastic, the world is breathtaking, and all of that pales in comparison to the wonderfully made gameplay that soars both as a platforming and combat game. Moon Studios has outdone itself with Will of the Wisps, delivering an experience that doesn’t have any lulls, makes the player feel clever, and just keeps getting better as it goes.

From start to finish, this game captivated me to no end and wowed me like few others have. [Apr 2004, p.102]

Hits the ground running and blazes a trail of brilliance through innovative weapon play, edge-of-your-seat challenges, jaw-dropping visuals, and a quest thta is roughly 150 percent larger than before. [Dec 2003, p.118]

Blackout is the best battle-royale experience available today, zombies offers crazy customizable co-op, and multiplayer keeps things grounded for those looking for the classic core.

The updated visuals aren't mind-blowing, but they present the best way to return to this already stellar game. If you somehow missed out on Resident Evil 4 when it turned heads on the GameCube, this is the perfect time to give it a download and see what all the fuss is about.

Prey is a masterpiece that simply should not be missed. [Aug 2006, p.80]

The updated visuals aren't mind-blowing, but they present the best way to return to this already stellar game. If you somehow missed out on Resident Evil 4 when it turned heads on the GameCube, this is the perfect time to give it a download and see what all the fuss is about.

It's barely a game in the popular sense of the word, but Quantic Dream's masterpiece makes groundbreaking strides in storytelling and character development, demonstrating that interactive entertainment still has a deep well of untapped potential. [Issue#203, p.91]

As improved as the Resident Evil 4 controls were compared to the tank-like schemes of its predecessors, they still aren’t ideal. The final version of the game would have been the perfect time for Capcom to polish the controls with new features that nearly every game now takes for granted – like strafing and being able to shoot your gun while moving. Unfortunately, Leon still isn’t capable of performing these basic moves.

Drives the gameplay stake through the heart of this genre, and keeps on stabbing. [Jan 2003, p.116]

Like Sudoku or crossword puzzles, this is one of those endlessly replayable games. The solution is always there, right in front of you. It’s just a matter of using logic and careful planning to place the block correctly.

Combine its lengthy single-player experience with the new co-op and head-to-head modes, and you can’t help but love this classic reborn.

The game's quality stays consistently outstanding throughout; there isn't a minute of filler content to be found anywhere in single-player or co-op.

Oblivion on PS3 is one of the biggest and most impressive role-playing games in history, and you owe it to yourself to play it if you haven’t already experienced it elsewhere.

This is one of the most sophisticated, entertaining, and historically accurate strategy games ever made.

Technical wizardry is married to artistic brilliance throughout the presentation, from the oddly beautiful vistas of a post-apocalyptic Earth to the creepy alien Citadel...This will be remembered as a historic occasion in gaming. [Dec 2004, p.184]

Monster Hunter: World is the best game in the series, and a welcoming gateway for newcomers to get in on the tail-chopping, rodeo-riding, and titan-slaying. I never want to play the series on handheld again after this, as the grainy graphics and clawed clutch can’t compare to the redefined experience core platforms facilitate.

Instead of desperately switching through the clumsy auto-targeting, now you're capping fools with a simple flick of the mouse. It's awesome. [August 2002, p.89]

Even if you already have a copy of the original game in your library, Black is an absolute necessity. [Oct 2005, p.140]