The game is also huge. There isn't a staggering amount of terrain compared to other titles in the series, but Skyward Sword gets every last ounce of mileage out of each area. It takes a few hours just to complete each sub-section before reaching a new dungeon, followed by a few more for the dungeon itself. There's a strong 30–40 hour adventure here before even considering the multitude of sidequests you can take on.

Champion mode is so good, in fact, that the more traditional Legacy mode feels hopelessly archaic and soulless by comparison.

Champion mode is so good, in fact, that the more traditional Legacy mode feels hopelessly archaic and soulless by comparison.

Smash is fun. That’s one of the most boring words to use in a video game review, I know, but I can’t sum it up any other way. Nintendo’s developers made it an obvious objective and they’ve unequivocally hit the motherload. You’ll feel like you did too, so make sure you’re tossing opponents off-stage to explore it all.

Elden Ring is a tour de force and is maybe the only example of a studio underselling a title. It's an M-rated Breath of the Wild, full of secrets, intrigue, and an enthralling world to explore. It's a game that makes me excited about gaming, and it's fantastic to see a highly anticipated title like this turn out so well.

A testament to the strength and importance of games that create living, breathing worlds, while affirming the value of long-term commitment over instant gratification. The absence of companion control, though a glaring flaw, ultimately does not spoil its purposeful, refined, and genre-defining design. Endlessly replayable and a phenomenal landmark in gaming, Skyrim deserves a place in every true gamer's collection.

For a fantasy game presenting dozens of hours of gameplay, Dragon Age: Inquisition largely delivers on its promises, both mechanically and in gameplay that fans will want from the third title in the series.

Freedom has always been the GTA hallmark, and in that regard, San Andreas piles on the features to ludicrous proportions. Comparing San Andreas to any other game is like comparing King Kong to the other monkeys; it is the Overgame.

When it's all said and done, when your eyes have completely dried up after spending 7 straight hours obsessing over massive rail grinds, THPS 3 comes through on its promise to do next-gen justice to the series. There simply is no better skating game available, and for that matter, very few other games that compete, period.

I just don't have the words to describe how much fun this game is. Rarely does a game captivate the stoic and hypercritical Game Revolution office, but Driver has done just that.

There is an endless amount of replay value, thanks to the brilliant tracks the community is already hard at work on. The simplicity belies a brilliance developers have yet to touch on Sony's new handheld platform.

The sheer amount of stuff to seek out and do in this game makes it utterly enjoyable.

Sunset Overdrive doesn’t take itself seriously, making the action and character of the game stand-out about as much as its vibrant color scheme. Sequences that slightly alter gameplay or offer up a big boss manage to delight beyond most of what’s available on the latest consoles today.

Returnal is unambiguously and thoroughly an outstanding game. Mixing the RPG progression and ever-evolving suite of roguelite hooks with a frenetic third-person shooter results in a new experience with two halves that make each other better. As it did with the PS3, Vita, and PS4, Housemarque has once again provided Sony with another launch-era hit and in doing so has created a rewarding, replayable, and revolutionary game that’s hopefully the foundation for other future AAA titles that are as clever with the roguelite blueprint.

If Control was “weirdness, perfected” then Control: Ultimate Edition is weirdness, perfected and fully realized. Bundling all of its content in one place is a decent proposition as it was supported supremely well after its launch, but the technical advancements are what make this “ultimate edition” so ultimate. Its swift combat is finally stable enough to move at the pace it was supposed to originally move at. The immersive world is made even more immersive with its many visual upgrades. Control was so obviously built ahead of its time as these enhancements aren’t just surface-level touch-ups; they’re instrumental improvements that help this game become its fullest self and the best Director of the FBC it can possibly be.

It Takes Two is one of the most delightful and ceaselessly entertaining co-op games I’ve played. Hazelight offers so many exciting levels, abilities, set-pieces, and mini-games, but does not let this extreme level of variety affect its quality. Every new idea is introduced to the game with care and used in a way that players can enjoy, before promptly being recycled out for an even better one. That this is the developer’s first platformer is staggeringly impressive, and I can only hope that this won’t be its final flirtation with a genre it’s clearly head over heels for.

Forza Horizon 5 is the best Forza yet and, not only that, but it also makes a strong case for being the best racing game period. A joyous combo of arcade racing and simulation-level depth, all wrapped up in a beautiful bow thanks to its diverse, expansive Mexico setting, this is an unmissable iteration in what is arguably gaming’s most consistently fantastic series.

Considering Biomutant’s delayed and seemingly troubled road to release, I’m blindsided by just how good it is. Experiment 101 has clearly been afforded the time to see its vision through, something which is unfortunately far too rare in the cutthroat gaming industry. I did not expect this to be one of my favorites of the year so far, let alone one of the most enjoyable open-world games I’ve ever played. A true modern gaming miracle.

Games as stylistically compelling as Viewtiful Joe don’t come around often. Thankfully, it has the gameplay to back it up, so Gamecube owners with a taste for action should definitely pick it up. It might require superhuman gaming skills, but who said life as a hero was easy?

Solid in every department, this one will be hard to top simply for the fact that it has very few weaknesses. While other entries might feature better stat-tracking or deeper Dynasty modes, they’ll be hard-pressed to be as well-rounded as MVP.

This variety and sense of not knowing what's next is what keeps Plants vs. Zombies fresh - as fresh as rotting zombies can be - and fun.

Rich, philosophical story...that's not as clever as the original story.

With anti-aliased backgrounds (nerdspeak for smooth and seamless), cool shadows and weapon lighting effects, it puts last year's PS2 games to shame.

Clearly the product of a talented group of developers who apparently give a damn about whether or not anyone actually likes playing their games. And unless there's something severely wrong with you, you will certainly like playing this one.

One of Wiiware's strongest pick-up-and-play titles, with a lengthy story mode, added game types, and even achievements, this ten-dollar download is hard to beat.

The interface is nothing short of brilliant. The story is well-developed and engrossing. The gameplay is challenging but well-balanced. The graphics and sound are breathtaking. Finally, it is simply a heck of a lot of fun.

Its combination of great gameplay mechanics and simply astounding graphics easily outweigh its faults. Trust me, you will see the light.

It's tons of fun...I'm a big fan of old-school Run D.M.C., but it gets a little redundant hearing the sample 'It's Tricky!' every time you land an Uber trick.

While other cartridges have come and gone like Electroplankton and Guitar Jam they were more bursts of experimental petri dishes of music in comparison. With this ingenious little chip you’ll actually have the capability of making something you could be proud of.

Bangai-O Spirits is one of, if not the most, fully-featured and expansive shmups ever created, but it’s absolutely unmerciful in its brutality.

To borrow a Jedi phrase, "This isn't the revolution you're looking for." Ultimately, GTA IV ends up feeling more like an upgrade than a real sequel. Strange, considering that neither "Vice City" nor "San Andreas" received the new number designation. GTA IV has fewer substantial changes and is far less ambitious than either of its two predecessors.

Despite all my gripes, Mass Effect 2 does more than enough to live up to its predecessor. You won’t give much attention to the unintuitive HUD, and the low level cap won’t stop most from playing the game again with added difficulty or for multiple story options. You'll get frustrated, you'll ask yourself why, but you'll still love it. Facing the dark reality of Mass Effect 2 has its stumbles and slips, but it’s a trip worth taking, no matter the destination.

Frankly, this game is heroin to its fans. Though seemingly simple, its complex depth will lead to many lost hours.

inFAMOUS 2 is focused without being linear and wild without ever coming completely unhinged. It has all the exhilarating derring-do of Saturday morning do-gooders but with the wickedly wry smile of those who stay home on Sunday to watch Saturday's fare all over again.

The worst and pretty much only snafu with NHL 2002 is the lame fighting. I didn't think that last year's rock 'em, sock 'em fighting could get any worse, but it feels like it has.

While this isn't an altogether epic quest or a ballyhooed Second Coming of Mario, it is simply a very fun game with ample difficulty in the right places, and that special elfin magic that keeps you playing long into the night.

After a four-day marathon of couch-indenting focus playing Dragon Age: Origins for at least fifty hours, I can safely say that there was not one moment of regret. It shows why BioWare is one of the leading developers of our time.

There is a tremendous amount of fine detail everywhere you look. Character models are varied to the point where it seems no two people look the same.

Older graphics aside, Thief 2 is a great game. Though I'm sure some sociology professor might decry the glorification of breaking into people's houses and stealing their stuff, there's no denying that it's a lot of fun.

And astoundingly, everyone speaks. Though the voices occasionally repeat, it's pretty impressive that they managed to cram so much voiced dialogue in here, and most of it is high-quality work.

It might have taken Telltale a little bit longer to put out this episode, but it was worth the wait. Like It's About Time, Get Tannen is on the shorter side. On the other hand, that only goes to show how well Telltale has gotten with the pacing since there's hardly a spot you can get stuck in, unlike some of their earlier adventure game seasons.

It is one of the best hockey games I've played...a picture perfect port of the Playstation 2 version. The graphics are just a smidgen better than the original.

When you combine the depth of gameplay, breadth of modes and quality of delivery with the salary-cap friendly $19.99 price tag, it's easy to see how ESPN NHL 2K5 stays on top of its division.

You've got to own this game if you've got a Nintendo 3DS. If you find a shiny new 3D handheld under the Christmas tree, don't hesitate to pick this game up. It'll surely prove to suck hours and hours of your system's diminuitive battery life away, but once you plug in, you won't want to put it down.

If you're a PC gamer who likes hard games and brutal competition, Chaos Theory is a must-have. Don't let it out of your sight.

As a package, Gears of War 3 is simply the best. Small nags you may be left with--like less than stellar dialog or some overpowered attackers in Beast Mode--fall by the wayside as balanced competitive multiplayer, deep Horde Mode mechanics, and a driving campaign win out. Epic Games have trimmed the fat and churned out one lean, purposeful Gear, ready to stomp some locusts back into the ground.

Ready at Dawn has brought this titan down to UMD-size and triumphed. Chains of Olympus is as faithful a version and as clean an action game as you might want on the PSP. The structure is there, the polish is there, and the simple pleasure of slinging chain-swords around is an absolute joy.

Marrying the best elements of traditional UT with "Halo," "Tribes II" and a bit of the "Battlefield" series, the game serves up intricate, breakneck battles at blinding speeds.

Even as a shooter, its superior control, astounding visuals and all-around enjoyable gameplay come together for one hell of ride.

Kratos' grim story of brutal determination and the game's overall non-stop mechanical and presentational excellence make for a gripping, gorgeous and gory experience with an unforgettably gruff, ass-kicking hero; whom the gods would destroy, they would first make bad.

Gameplay is amazingly true to DKC.

It is not only the best fighter available for the system, but pretty much the best console gamers have seen since "Soul Calibur."

God of War Collection doesn’t really change anything about the God of War series other than a graphical facelift and there’s no way to go back to the game selection screen other than reloading the game, but it’s hard to complain about two HD-enhanced ‘A-‘ titles for $20 apiece.

This game is as much an adventure for your eyes as it is for your reflexes.

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Black Ops' minor flaws won't deter you from its gripping storyline and gratifying multiplayer modes.

In telling the story of a frustrated author, Remedy Entertainment has excised its own demons and brought forth a beautiful, eerie, exciting, unique, and intelligent creation from the dark depths of development limbo.

It is the kind of game you could easily find yourself dusting off two years from now and enjoying just as thoroughly.

Looks almost as good as its PC brother, the only real difference being screen resolution, which can't be helped. The game is playing on your T.V., for God's sake

Not really a revolutionary game, but it is almost perfect at what it does. This is the definitive straight multi-player first person shooter. It is an amazing game that never fails to impress or entertain.

With fantastic voice acting, gorgeous graphics, and a well-written plot, what else could you want from a game? Great for hardcore Batmaniacs as well as gamers looking for a solid action/adventure game, I'm happy to declare Batman: Arkham Asylum as the best Batman game ever.

Saints Row: The Third doesn't give a crap about precious modern design with its storyworlds, complex strategy-based gameplay systems, and magniloquent commentaries on the state of humanity. All it cares about is showing you a good time-how you want it, when you want it, and where you want it. It's instant gratification for days on end. I don't know about you, but I'm already sold on Saints Row: The Fourth.

For the most part, the graphics and gameplay are identical to its PS2 brother...[but, of course] the revolutionary online component is sadly missing from the Gamecube version.

With outstanding physics, an unmatched sense of speed and a wealth of game types, it easily blows the doors off the competition. And that's all the realism I need.

With all the challenges and brilliantly designed tables, it's hard not to push just about anyone into playing Marvel Pinball.

Even though some games do the create-a-player thing better, and some have better AI, WSB has the best gameplay and the best Franchise mode currently available and is, in my opinion, the best baseball game on the market.

The Xbox version of Chaos Theory is one of the system's most complete and valuable titles, a must-have. If you like your games hard and your competition brutal, don't let Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory out of your sight.

With all the challenges and brilliantly designed tables, it's hard not to push just about anyone into playing Marvel Pinball.

By far the best fighter out there at the moment. While it doesn't do anything "revolutionary," it's a damn good game that any fighting game fan should definitely buy.

This beautiful, sprawling sandbox title turns the Crusades of the twelfth century into your personal playground of murder.

The closest Playstation will get to "Goldeneye," both in terms of system performance as well as the standard set by Mr. Bond's breakthrough gameplay. This game was a complete surprise, a great game released with little to no hype.

The snow effects are unrivaled, the framerate is consistently high and the colors are vibrant. Add to that great animations (particularly during tricks) and an intense sense of speed, and you wind up with one of those rare games that can be as much fun to watch as to play.

Black Ops' minor flaws won't deter you from its gripping storyline and gratifying multiplayer modes.

Quake is not just another 3D shoot-em-up game. It's a whole new level of gaming. The amazing performance and features of Quake are the future of gaming. Whether you are new to this type of game or you are an old "Doom" hack, you will fall in love with Quake.

Even with its technical drawbacks, Borderlands is a shooter for people who want something a little more engaging. It will remind you of every FPS you’ve enjoyed over the last few years, stealing bits of brilliance here and there to make its own enthralling experience.

It exudes elitism, class, and affluence at every turn. It’s a game every bit as precise and refined as the cars it replicates. But it also doesn’t forget that it’s still a game made for the grease monkey in all of us.

The main problem with Virtua Fighter has always been its relative inaccessibility, and VF 4: Evolution clearly represents an effort to introduce new gamers to the franchise.

Saints Row 2 isn't going to be the next Godfather, but it's not trying to be. If you want class and moral dilemmas with your gang warfare, then look elsewhere. But if you want explosions, revenge, sex, money, drugs and rock and roll, then a trip to Stilwater is just what the doctor ordered.

The goal of any superhero game is to make you feel like the hero, and by that standard, Spider-Man 2 is unrivaled. That it also happens to be a fantastic action game is icing on the cake, a true treat for both fans of the webslinger and general gamers alike.

Lengthy, awesome story.

Its old-school design may turn some people off, but the more open-minded among you are in for one hell of a ride. Besides, any game that can make running an orphanage seem fun has got to be doing something very right.

It is, as a game, everything you could ask for... and it's absolutely a blast to play.

A great game. It's got all the goods you'd expect, from solid gameplay to smooth presentation. But where the game comes up short is giving you things you don't expect, and considering that the series is in many ways unchanged since it first hit the PSX back in 1997, that’s a shame.

Oozes style and substance, matching its PC counterpart bullet for bullet and raising the stakes with its upgraded control.

A solid shooter that any fan of the Contra series would be glad to play, even if it doesn't have the Contra name on it. If you're up for an enjoyable, yet difficult, gaming session, give this one a shot.

High production values, awesome details and options and generally involving play dynamics made last years' World Series one of the greatest ball games ever, and the minor improvements to this year's game seem to be enough to keep Sega Sports' franchise on top of the pack.

Despite the lack of innovation and weak boss fights, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is easily a must-have for the Wii.

It's one hell of a trip from beginning to end and, by the end of its four-hour journey, will only make it tougher for you to wait two years for BioShock Infinite.

After all, it's still just the gunblade attack wearing a new dress. But what a pretty dress it is - curvy customizations, tight chain attacks, and sparkly exploration. Despite its somewhat limited action elements, VS presents a unique RPG with terrific storytelling.

It's one hell of a trip from beginning to end and, by the end of its four-hour journey, will only make it tougher for you to wait two years for BioShock Infinite.

While we’re sorry that the series still lacks an online component for its console versions, we love the cyclical player skills system, as well as the new player search.

One of those rare games that have such a nonchalant, organic, and artful message about humanity that it feels improper to dissect and analyze each of its parts without recognizing the strength of its narrative sum. It shows that a game doesn’t need nonstop, high-flyin’ action or an epic “save the world” theme for it to have lasting impact and purpose.

Simply put, Bungie did an excellent job at reading the faults of the original by making change where change was needed and leaving the successful areas alone... In the end, whether playing single player or multiplayer, Myth II offers the best real-time strategy experience in the industry.

While most FPS like CoD series or Halo do improve in each iteration, this is one of the few games that dramatically enhances its previous installment. This is the new FPS, the thinking man's FPS, and I can't wait to get my second playthrough started.

From the music to the controls and Doc’s worthless advice between rounds, everything in Punch Out!! hearkens back to a time before bump-mapping and load screens, a time when games didn’t have to rely on downloadable content or pre-order bonuses to be great.

While most FPS like CoD series or Halo do improve in each iteration, this is one of the few games that dramatically enhances its previous installment. This is the new FPS, the thinking man's FPS, and I can't wait to get my second playthrough started.

Truly massive, with enough material for at least three all-nighters. . . the first time through.

While most FPS like CoD series or Halo do improve in each iteration, this is one of the few games that dramatically enhances its previous installment. This is the new FPS, the thinking man's FPS, and I can't wait to get my second playthrough started.