This former 3DS game doesn’t stand toe-to-toe with the best console shooters, but it’s a faithful port. Revelations has a lot to offer fans of the series and players looking for a more evenly paced, thoughtful shooter.

With solid presentation, a great franchise mode, and strong gameplay, NBA 2K11 is an impressive package.

I absolutely enjoy playing PES 2018; its gameplay elevates an aspect that was already strong. This is remarkable in and of itself, but also highlights the work still to be done in important areas such as the Master League. The franchise contains a great foundation, and will have to continue to build on it to remain at the top of the table.

Although the game's career mode is a little dry (compared to "V-Rally 3") and the damage is forgiving, Colin McRae Rally 3 contains some stunning graphics and is a powerful, mesmerizing experience. [May 2003, p.83]

Overall, Mega Man 10 offers all the nuts and bolts a diehard blue bomber fan could want in a retro sequel, while boasting even more content than Mega Man 9 with all its DLC combined.

With solid presentation, a great franchise mode, and strong gameplay, NBA 2K11 is an impressive package.

Resistance: Retribution is a worthy addition to Insomniac’s series. It adds an amazing story to the existing lore, and is a great standalone experience for those of you who haven’t played a Resistance game before.

A game that’s not only the zenith of its series but also one of the boldest narrative-focused titles of the last few years.

Controls and combos are incredibly tight, and the entire package is dripping with polish. Despite the lackluster Scenario Campaign, it’s still a solid purchase for fighting fans.

A well-tuned engine firing on all cylinders. [June 2002, p.84]

Despite a few drawn-out battles near the end, Control is a complete rush. With the power at Jesse’s fingertips, I walked into every room ready for an amazing fight. When I walked out, it often looked like a tornado and torn through the building. The Federal Bureau of Control is a fascinating place to explore, and I loved every bizarre encounter inside its creaking hallways.

Elements of the combat, progression, and art style may have roots in other games, but they weave together in thrilling and unfamiliar ways.

Frame-counters and other savants will probably have issues with some aspects of Soulcalibur IV’s gameplay, but the average player or fighting game enthusiast is well served by this title’s array of game types and tight weapon-based duels. I know I’m more than satisfied.

For the first time, Halo is fully embracing the broader fiction established in other mediums, drawing in characters and concepts of greater complexity. As a result, the universe feels more nuanced, even if some less devoted players may get lost in the jargon. Beautiful cut scenes lend a cinematic vibe to the ongoing adventure, which sees Master Chief chasing the one thing that can make him turn away from his duty, and a new generation of Spartans ordered to bring him back.

Like LitteBigPlanet before it, Scribblenauts invites players to express their creativity in ways I never imagined. It’s one of my top games this year, and a DS game that has near limitless appeal.

Death Howl is cohesive and well-crafted. The game's dour tone complements its surreal art style and soundtrack. Its myriad genres coalesce into consistently engaging combat and tactics. But most of all, across story and gameplay, Ro's journey taught me to embrace obstacles to overcome them. Having reached its end, it's a journey I'm glad to have taken.

It’s a fun, fast, and memorable thrill ride, and perhaps the closest video games have come yet to approximating the experience of an interactive summer blockbuster.

It’s a fun, deep, and somehow accessible entry in a genre that’s often viewed as complicated and excessively complex.

Offers up the deepest dungeon crawling experience in the console universe to date. [Feb 2004, p.94]

Death Stranding 2 is a game with faults and annoyances, but it also makes big, expensive swings and is trying to establish its own unique genre, often successfully.

My point is this: Kirby good. Me like. You buy. All happy. [Jan 2003, p.122]

Metro Exodus largely succeeds in its ambitions. The freeform sandboxes give players more agency to play how they want to play, and the smart level design and well-tuned pacing keep the experience feeling fresh throughout the campaign. The story may suffer from weak acting and 4A’s decision to keep Artyom a silent protagonist, but these shortcomings don’t stop me from recommending the game to both newcomers and series fans.

Several tweaks have helped to streamline the racing experience, but there really isn't a lot I'd label as innovative beyond its excellent appearance on the new handheld. [May 2005, p.132]

With many great games, I am eager to shout from the rooftops to get as many people as possible to play. I sincerely enjoy Mio, but I’d also be extremely hesitant to recommend its rigors to all but very experienced players, eager for platforming, bosses, and exploration that are often more chore than satisfaction. However, if that kind of thing sets your heart aflutter, Mio should be very high on your list of must-plays.

It may not be an accurate portrayal of NHL, but it blows away EA's game with little effort. [Nov 2002, p.127]

While all these features give Homecourt the depth it needs, the real revelation here is something that's hard to describe in words: it just feels right. [Mar 2007, p.99]

Griftlands is an ambitious package. Not only does it combine two different compelling deck building systems into one game, but it’s attempt at relationship building feels like a small-scale version of what I loved about Mass Effect. Best of all, it pulls it off. Griftlands leverages the strengths of card-based roguelikes, delivering a different experience with each adventure, providing various deck archetypes for each playable character, and every in-game day brings new objectives to keep the experience fresh. The Griftlands may be an unforgiving, harsh place to live, but it’s a world I’d like to keep visiting.

MLB The Show 20 mainly nails its core gameplay, and its many modes deliver compelling experiences. It’s not the best the series could be, but it makes you hold your breath in that moment before a crucial pitch or swing of the bat – a moment I love living in.