Valorant doesn’t reinvent aspects of core tactical shooters, but it differentiates itself in meaningful ways by giving players new ways to glean information, protect areas, and obscure enemy perception. While Valorant’s characters may be mundane and its modes limited, I had plenty of fun with its precision shooting, careful planning, and soft footsteps.

While this game plays better on the pitch because AI teammates are smarter at taking runs, distributing the ball, and springing others with through balls, it lags behind FIFA in its feedback to the player and the fact that it has a better sim feature while you are on the bench.

Episode 3 takes on an even more somber tone than previous episodes, and some of the situations are downright twisted.

Getting that “Flak Master!” award never gets old, and it’s no less satisfying to crush the enemy from your couch than it is from your desk in the end.

With the assistance of Sumo Digital and Ninja Theory, the racing and combat are vastly improved. A strong emphasis is placed on variety; hopefully signaling an end to scenarios like seemingly endless waves of frost giants.

The problematic gunplay and annoying stealth takedown mechanics keep the game from greatness, but if played a certain way, Human Revolution captures the spirit of its predecessors and can be a blast. Even if it's not a masterpiece, this entry lays the groundwork for a promising future for the series.

I've lost a good portion of my life to this series, and thanks to this collection, I'm losing more of it from anywhere I please. [June 2006, p.119]

The problematic gunplay and annoying stealth takedown mechanics keep the game from greatness, but if played a certain way, Human Revolution captures the spirit of its predecessors and can be a blast. Even if it's not a masterpiece, this entry lays the groundwork for a promising future for the series.

Hypnospace Outlaw is a great ride, even though you’re the one checking tickets and enforcing the rules.

Guitar Hero 5 is a well-done sequel with high quality production values and a good feature set. If something seems, well, missing, I guess that’s just the natural passage of time. The music genre has been extremely successful, but I’m not sure the crazy days of 2007 are ever coming back.

The levels aren't overly complex and are definitely linear. However, stealth has never been done so well on a handheld (including GBC's "Metal Gear"). [June 2003, p.120]

The problematic gunplay and annoying stealth takedown mechanics keep the game from greatness, but if played a certain way, Human Revolution captures the spirit of its predecessors and can be a blast. Even if it's not a masterpiece, this entry lays the groundwork for a promising future for the series.

For all its focus on supernatural magic and demonic threats, Midnight Suns is a fun-loving and thrilling ride. XCOM strategy fans won’t be disappointed; the format changes still result in a gratifying combat flow. But this is a more approachable and story-driven experience than Firaxis has previously attempted, filled with some of the most recognizable pop culture heroes of the moment. It’s big, boisterous, and a little bit silly at times, but just like the best of Marvel’s output in recent years, it’s also a rousing good time.

I wouldn't say that you're missing out if you play it on PS3, as both share the same content (even the same problems in the online component), but the PlayStation 4 version is a slight step up. The visual upgrades do come with a slight price, however. Load times are significantly longer on PS4.

The defense is excellent – players hunch down or take swipes at the ball. The alley-oop button is a beautiful thing. [Dec 2001, p.92]

Origins doesn’t completely rebuild Assassin’s Creed, but makes a number of smart, significant changes to a formula that, despite yearly updates, was showing its age. The increased freedom in how you approach targets, the more active combat, and alluring world not only make exploring Egypt a rewarding experience, but also offer a strong direction for the series going forward while still remembering what made it unique in the first place.

Atlus and Arc System Works have succeeded in creating another solid fighting game. Ultimax makes small tweaks to the fighting system, but it also keeps things fresh with new characters, an intriguing story mode that Persona fans will adore, and plenty of modes to keep you busy.

The only glaring ommision from the original Scene It was online play. Now that it's implemented well in Box Office Smash, you won't have to cajole your friends and family into a game every time you want to play a session. [Jan 2009, p.71]

The franchise is steps away from greatness, which makes some of its foibles frustrating.

Soma’s impressively realized underwater ordeal challenges even the coldest robot-slayers to consider a world where making such snap moral decisions is anything but automatic.

Disgaea 5 serves up a hearty helping of enjoyable tactical RPG combat, and lives up to the expectations established by its forerunners in the series.

If you're craving more after Sonic 4, looking for a great DS game, or just want to experience an awesome platformer, don't let Sonic Colors pass you by.

The multiplayer experience is a good time – and quite different than single-player (most time powers have been excised) – but it doesn't have any depth or a progression for players to follow. At the most, it's a fun distraction. The single-player game, however, should not be missed.

Ultimax makes small tweaks to the fighting system, but it also keeps things fresh with new characters, an intriguing story mode that Persona fans will adore, and plenty of modes to keep you busy.

Without the pure granular gratification of its tricks, Steep's feast resides in its many moments. Enjoying a beautiful vista, surviving a suicidal bombing run down the side of a mountain, or uncovering a new area and being rewarded for it – this is what keeps me coming back.

We've seen elements of player-created content and online community building in games before, but not yet in a kart racing game like this. Finally, it feels like the genre is evolving.

While the single-player adventure falls just shy of the grandeur of some Metroid games, the new multiplayer game positively electrifies the experience. [May 2006, p.111]

The only downsides to this game are the slightly unimaginative campaigns, and the oh-so-annoying voice-overs, which feature the worst "foreign" accents I've heard in a while. [Mar 2002, p.89]

Yoshi’s Woolly World is the Wii U’s best-looking game, as well as the best Yoshi’s Island since the original Super Nintendo title. It has a great balance of challenge, exciting bosses, callbacks to the first game, and enough new mechanics and touches to make it easily stand above each attempt at creating a Yoshi’s Island successor of the past two decades.

Everyone should have a Crazy Taxi in their collection, and this is the one I recommend most. [August 2002, p.85]

With more than 65 hours of FFXVI behind me, I still have a lot to do beyond the story, and I’m glad my time with Creative Business Unit III’s latest isn’t at its end yet. FFXVI has some of my favorite moments in modern Final Fantasy, but its lows threaten the pace at which they arrive. I wish FFXVI’s various elements were intertwined more seamlessly. Still, when I look back at my time with Clive, his friends, his enemies, and Valisthea, it’s those highs that I vividly remember. FFXVI is very different from its predecessors, but in many ways, very familiar; And it’s still a Final Fantasy, through and through, reminding me why I love this series so much.

I think I may have expected too much from this game, as it really isn't the Second Coming that I was waiting for. [Oct 2003, p.132]

Outside of the lack of the more recent PC expansions and the simulation speed options, Cities: Skylines - Xbox One Edition is every bit as good as its PC counterpart. The mayoral planning fantasy is still intact with this version, and now easier than ever to get into. Simply put, if you're an Xbox One owner who is a fan of city-building simulation games, you need to check out Cities: Skylines.

As the kind-hearted Professor learned, give Jenn and Tristan a chance, and they’ll impress you in more ways than one. Young Souls is an exceptional adventure you shouldn’t miss if you’re searching for the next great game to tackle with a friend or want a quality RPG brawler to dig into alone.

Surprisingly, there is very little graphical degradation that I could detect, and the control scheme has been shunted over to the Xbox controller with a decent amount of effectiveness. [Dec 2002, p.141]

This HD version of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X rewards players armed with patience, resourcefulness, and plenty of ink ribbons with a harrowing but memorable trek through the series' heyday. If you've got the grit, try downloading this affordable piece of Capcom history on PSN for PS3 and Games on Demand for 360.

Lacks the one element that really made "GTA" the phenomemon it is: It's just not cool. [Jan 2004, p.150]

Phantom Liberty succeeds as another 20 hours of great adventure in Night City and, coupled with Cyberpunk 2077’s new Update 2.0, a culmination of three years of hard work. It makes a strong case for a return to Night City for experienced mercs and rolls out the red carpet for CDPR to showcase to newcomers all it's done to improve Cyberpunk 2077. From a disastrous launch in 2020 to now, CDPR has finally made good on the promise of this futuristic, dystopian RPG. While Phantom Liberty doesn't stand head and shoulders above the rest of the Cyberpunk package, it slots in nicely, like a preem piece of cyberware you’ve been waiting to be in stock.

In the meantime, Star Wars Pinball provides players three more entertaining tables well worth a spot in their ever-growing collections.

The first Dishwasher game was one of the most action-packed, fast-paced games available on Xbox Live. Its sequel ups the ante in almost every way. The grim style is accompanied by some of the tightest 2D action around. While the challenge and dark subject matter could be a turn-off for some, most players will find a deep and rewarding action title that is more than worth a download.

I have some qualms about Modern Times' balancing, particularly the ludicrously profitable factories and fish farms, but those cast almost unnoticeable shadows on the game's otherwise impressive accomplishments.

Surprisingly, I found myself enjoying DQ VI more than its technically superior descendant. Maybe it's easier to forgive dusty design choices knowing that this was originally a 16-bit game, or maybe it's because DQ VI embraces the mile-a-minute imagination and sense of adventure that made me fall in love with RPGs as a kid.

This HD version of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X rewards players armed with patience, resourcefulness, and plenty of ink ribbons with a harrowing but memorable trek through the series' heyday. If you've got the grit, try downloading this affordable piece of Capcom history on PSN for PS3 and Games on Demand for 360.

What surprised me most is just how fast it played. [Nov 2005, p.180]

Graphically, it's a masterpiece. [Jan 2006, p.136]

Capcom has successfully reinvented Resident Evil in the past, the most notable deviation being the brilliant Resident Evil 4. This new vision doesn’t reach the same heights of spectacle and gameplay innovation as that breakthrough release, but is a welcome addition to the series (both in terms of gameplay and lore), and a nice entry point for newcomers.

If you can put up with the game’s complete and total linearity and don’t mind a largely forgettable multiplayer offering, there is a ton of brutal amusement to be had with Dark Messiah’s excellent melee combat.

Developer Wolfeye Studios has crafted one hell of a debut release. Weird West subverts expectations, twisting well-trodden cowboy tropes into dark fantasy vignettes brought to life by immersive sandbox elements.

Even after the unlocks dry up, the challenge and camaraderie that Helldivers offers makes it hard not to attempt "just one more mission" with your friends, a proposition made all the more enticing by the inclusion of four-player couch co-op. I still don't know how the community-driven galactic campaign will shake out over the coming weeks, but contributing to the larger war effort is just one more welcome excuse to enlist.

Need for Speed Unbound feels like a foundational entry for where the series could go from here. Competing across the title’s many events is a blast, and I love the juxtaposed visual aesthetics. Though some elements left me wanting, Unbound is as much fun as I’ve had with a Need for Speed title in years.

NBA 2K6 remains unbeatable. The competition doesn't even come close to touching this release. [Nov 2005, p.143]

Overall, Top Spin 2 gets the job done with an attention to detail that might be a bit offputting to casual fans. [May 2006, p.104]

Without any of the microtransaction complications that so characterize the mobile scene right now, Badland stands apart as a world that draws you in completely and immerses you in its charms free of distractions.

Forza 3 redefines the franchise, but it definitely didn't take me to anywhere I hadn't already been before. [Nov 2009, p.106]

Has a knack for making the seemingly mediocre an incredible success. [Dec 2001, p.95]

Bully was a fantastic release late in the life of the PS2, and I’m pumped that the folks I know who’ve become gamers this generation now have a chance to experience it for themselves. For those of us who’ve already had our fun the first time, I’m not sure a second run at high school is really in order.

Last Light features tighter controls and improved sound design for its arsenal, which now puts the gunplay on par with most triple-A shooters. However, I was more enthralled by the upgraded stealth mechanics.

It's no online tour, but it's a step in the right direction; the kind of slow progress we're seeing in the franchise these days. [July 2009, p.82]

Before Your Eyes puts its unique blinking mechanic to great use, offering a novel and fun method of interacting with this memorable, bittersweet tale.

Since I am hopelessly addicted to Road to the Show, MLB 08 gets my nod for the game you’ll get the most out of – but you really have to be into the concept of creating a player and raising him from a minor league hopeful to a major league all-star.

Is it the next great evolution of gaming? Perhaps not, but it is a step towards creating the ultimate James Bond title. [Mar 2004, p.92]

Metro: Last Light fixes most of its predecessor's flaws while also improving upon its strengths, delivering gameplay that lives up to the exceptional storytelling.

As much as I enjoy the online play and random dungeon generation in "Champions of Norrath," Dark Alliance II's quest has a better flow to it, the stages show more variety, and the hack n' slash gameplay is more dynamic. [Feb 2004, p.100]

Broken Age is the best venue I’ve seen for Double Fine’s twisted sensibilities in a long time. They’ve crafted two unique worlds, ­filling them both with just enough silliness to be fun without overwhelming the characters and their ultimately touching journeys.

It doesn't give you wrestling staples like table matches or a wrestling creator, sadly, but it does give you what most next-gen WWE titles can't: stellar gameplay. [Apr 2003, p.81]

If there's an overall problem with Forza, it's that the game isn't polished into the slick experience that others have recently offered. [June 2005, p.130]

The experience basically boils down to the Incredible Hulk thrashing about in a kiddy pool. You have so much power and potential, but it's set in a shallow frame. [Mar 2007, p.103]

At its best moments, Suikoden IV sits right up there with the most outstanding RPGs ever created. [Feb 2005, p.114]

The star feature of NBA 2K9 is the Association, the best franchise mode across every sports title.

Strong systems and a satisfying gameplay loop give Remnant: From The Ashes a powerful foundation, even if the experience is mired by repetitive and uninteresting bosses and environments. The first 10 hours are challenging and intriguing, leaving you voracious for more loot, more bosses, and more traits. After that, some of the wonder vanishes as you relive past glories rather than continuing to forge new ones.

If you missed out on this, or are looking for a reason to pull your PSP out of mothballs, The Warriors is a great purchase.

I was as skeptical as anyone when I heard the words “Mario” and “XCOM” uttered in the same sentence, but Kingdom Battle didn’t just prove me wrong – it ended up being my favorite Mario game in recent years. Nintendo and Ubisoft took a big risk working together outside their comfort zones, and that risk paid off.

Gives new meaning to depth. [Dec 2002, p.149]

Sky Force is a long-running series, but this is the first entry that truly hooked me and made me want to play more just to see how ridiculously overpowered my ship could become.

It's a hell of a lot of fun, and hardcore pinball fans will appreciate the special achievements and unlockables like hidden tables and original promotional pamphlets. [Apr 2008, p.95]

Yoku’s Island Express critical path can be completed quickly, and there could definitely be more meat on that bone, but it’s a journey I urge every pinball and Metroidvania fanatic to play. Villa Gorilla doesn’t just introduce a new concept to gaming – it has full ownership of it, and shows us just how fun it can be.

Whether the criteria is length, diversity, excitement, or challenge, I know no better courses than those in this game. [Apr 2004, p.106]

Even without a clear narrative purpose, Darksiders never wavers from being an enjoyable adventure. I had a blast playing it, and strangely enough, the obvious nods to other games added to the fun. Despite a lame last boss fight, the setup planted for the sequel has me counting the days until it arrives.

Merely an okay game that benefits greatly from its movie license. [June 2003, p.106]

If you skipped Woolly World on Wii U, Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World offers what is essentially a straight port. It doesn’t feel downgraded, even if the visuals aren’t quite as sharp. Exchanging co-op for the dedicated Poochy auto-run levels and a better mellow mode is a worthy trade. Woolly World is still the best Yoshi’s Island game since the original, even on this less-powerful platform.

This is some of the most fun I’ve had playing an RPG this year, proving that Ys has what it takes to keep afloat.

While this game plays better on the pitch because AI teammates are smarter at taking runs, distributing the ball, and springing others with through balls, it lags behind FIFA in its feedback to the player and the fact that it has a better sim feature while you are on the bench.

I was surprised at how fast this GBA version of Doom moved. It can really haul. [Dec 2002, p.152]

It's every bit as profane, violent, and over-the-top as the movie, and delivers not only the gunplay you're expecting, but as much depth as almost any other game in the genre. Like the film that inspired it, it's sometimes a bit clunky, but makes up for it in bravado and style.

Delivers with an expert mix of action and suspense, and a robust array of weaponry. [Aug 2003, p.100]

An all-encompassing adventure that is just as complex as Spidey's console brethren. [June 2002, p.86]

For all of its pacing issues, Devil May Cry 5 is still a lot of fun to play. Combat is a blast, and the cutscenes are delightfully absurd; fans of Devil May Cry 3 and 4 should feel right at home here. Capcom goes back to the baseline action I’ve always enjoyed, and executes that with the series’ signature over-the-top style. However, this entry’s changes and additions to that core experience don’t enhance what the series does well; they feel more like roadblocks than steps forward.

I think it's ironic that what will no doubt be the best of the DS launch lineup is a game that makes little use of its unique technology. [Jan 2005, p.144]

With so many stages to explore and master, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a terrific way to experience this game again or for the first time.

Watch Dog's story works as a basic revenge tale, and the final few missions provide some gravity to the characters. Ultimately, however, the main draw of any open-world game is the gameplay, and while not perfect, Watch Dog's hacking abilities add an engaging and unique twist to the third-person action.

Tight controls and cheeky humor make Brave and the Bold an easy recommendation for bat and brawler fans alike. Accessible and entertaining, it's also a perfect fit for –familyplay.

This edition of the game has many of the components that made the title successful on the other systems, and more, but the behind-the-wheel experience puts it in second place.

Devil May Cry 5 holds up, and I had a good time revisiting it in different ways. Vergil, turbo mode, and the Legendary Dark Knight difficulty are good additions – but fans have already seen all of those features in the series’ previous special editions. They are still worthwhile, but don’t expect any big surprises here. Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition is the best way to play an already-good game, but the fine-tuning doesn’t elevate the experience to new heights.

A surprisingly solid title that wasn’t even on my radar. While it borrows heavily from the Souls franchise, it’s done well and with its own signature flair. I highly recommend this game to anyone that enjoys that series, and if you haven’t gone down that road before, it might be a more forgiving entry point into the action RPG.

It's fun, fast, and simple without being dumbed-down. [Jan 2005, p.134]

Simultaneously fun and extremely frustrating, compelling and flawed, mature and foul, engaging and confusing. As a game, it can be aggravating, but as a piece of interactive storytelling, it flirts with brilliance. [Oct 2005, p.123]

While I yearned for a little more in a few areas (difficulty curve and graphical polish in particular), the overall experience lies somewhere between the first "Underground" and the second...meaning it's easy fun, but not genre-defining. [Dec 2005, p.148]

Gears 5 is exactly what it needs to be. This old war vet still packs a punch. The open-world exploration has issues, but that isn’t enough to steal away the thunder The Coalition expertly deploys on the battlefield. The campaign is a fun ride that concludes with a shocker moment and a hell of a setup for a sequel. I’m already looking forward to that follow-up.