Like any good extraction shooter, Marathon is a game about the choice and consequences inherent within a run. Yet, it's more than just that. Bungie's excellent audio design and gunplay, paired with increasingly complicated level design borrowing from over a decade of expertise designing Destiny raids coalesce into something special. Marathon is proof Bungie is still at the top of its game.

Forsaken is deep, mysterious, and vast, three words that echo what players most want from this growing universe.

Darkest Dungeon is an incredible take on the classic dungeon crawl. The game brings Lovecraftian lore to new heights with cool classes, powerful narration, stylish art, and addictive gameplay that will keep you crawling back to battle slithering monstrosities even as your favorite heroes become corpses.

The reason that I liked this edition of The Sims, in particular, is that the missions move along quicker than the real world or past versions of the game have offered. [Jan 2004, p.130]

Everything a fan of the series could want. There are more opportunities for dual army control (like the final battle in the original) as well as much more challenging maps to defeat. [July 2003, p.121]

Might just be the best racing game for the sytsem. [August 2002, p.86]

The critical path is incredibly long and is joined by bonus comic missions for most of the characters. The teammate AI is very impressive, often getting to baddies before you even see them, but once again, Raven has designed a game that is better through cooperative play.

A bluebrint on how to make a very good movie-based game. [Jan 2003, p.99]

For the second year running, MVP is home to the best all around gameplay package. The pressure sensitive pitching mechanic, and sheer intensity of batting best exemplify the realism of the sport and skills that it takes to excel. [Apr 2004, p.93]

For newcomers, Demon’s Souls will be the first exploration into the duality of despair and triumph, and hopefully go on to become a starting point for new Souls fans. For veterans, it’s a homage to an experiment that kicked off a fantastic genre. Either way, it’s wonderful that the nascent ethers from the original classic have coalesced and given us this delightful treat.

With so many additions and improvements, Persona 5 Royal is an improved version of what was already one of the best RPGs of the last decade. Whether you’ve been itching to enjoy the Phantom Thieves’ journey again or looking to experience it for the first time, Royal wears its crown well.

On several occasions, I found myself staring in awe at the little details Naughty Dog so meticulously included. [Jan 2002, p.76]

Working your way through lists in a video game can be incredibly satisfying. Ghost of Yōtei understands this intimately and capitalizes on it by starting with protagonist Atsu literally writing out her hit list of the six men who took everything from her. It’s a simple, but incredibly satisfying setup, and that core idea – the joy of knowing your objectives and completing them – extends to every other element of Ghost of Yōtei to create a consistently satisfying experience that is very difficult to put down.

If Resident Evil is Aliens, Amnesia is Alien. Frictional Games has created something wholly unlike the traditional horror game. Amnesia shows us by example that gaming has entirely new realms to explore. The price of admission is only $20 through your digital retailer of choice. Do the right thing.

Throughout my time with Axiom Verge I was constantly excited to explore strange worlds, gain game-changing powerups, and fire off a new gun for the first time. Almost everything you pick up feels meaningful, unlike collecting overabundant missile-capacity expansions that you don’t even need. I heartily applaud Tom Happ’s first solo effort. It’s incredible that he was able to nail every component of game creation in one package.

The critical path is incredibly long and is joined by bonus comic missions for most of the characters. The teammate AI is very impressive, often getting to baddies before you even see them, but once again, Raven has designed a game that is better through cooperative play.

Even if the larger beats don’t always land, The Outer Worlds shines with a constant stream of small, bright moments. An amusing interaction with a clueless guard. A sugary corporate jingle. A brutal sneak attack. A solution to a problem you are sure won’t work, but it does. The team at Obsidian excels at encouraging creative experimentation within its responsive and absurd setting, ensuring that every visit to Halcyon is full of delightful surprises.

Barreling down a busy street at 120 mph made my heart race and palms sweat. [Dec 2003, p.172]

With a staggering revamp that touched upon almost all aspects of the game and modes that keep things interesting, Reaper of Souls isn’t so much an expansion as it is a completely new game.

It's a brilliant design, and a generation ahead of where EA is today. [Dec 2002, p.142]

The extreme polish evident in the final product makes it all worthwhile. Both single- and multiplayer shine - at long last redeeming DICE for the crappy bot-fests offline players had to endure in previous games in the series. [July 2008, p.82]

A fantastic game – get off your can and go get it before that fat guy across the street beats you to the store. [Apr 2002, p.72]

There is a metric ton of game to be enjoyed here, and I heartily recommend it to anyone with a lick of interest in the subject matter. Small annoyances, like a mediocre overworld interface and the occasional unit AI breakdown in the RTS battles, are nowhere near enough to diminish this game’s overall genius.

The first expansion set for Hearthstone is a major step forward for the already accessible and fun game, and I hope to see even more variety as we move past Goblins vs Gnomes into the future of the digital card game.

The near Zen-like state that is required to pull off the scenes - and the adrenaline rush that goes along with it - is what makes Stuntman the great game it is. [July 2002, p.78]

Having good graphics, excellent controls, creative gameplay with lots of circus staples (think water tanks and cannons), and genius character animation buts Aero into his own class of goodness. [Sept 2002, p.94]

Simly put, playing in the optional first-person mode is a revolution you must be a part of. [Sept 2003, p.106]

This second American title absolutely proves that Winning Eleven 7 is the greatest soccer game in the world. It's not perfect, but it easily bests EA Sports' "FIFA." [Feb 2004, p.101]