God of War II has its weaknesses, but its strengths are unparalleled. This is yet another bloody, tasty, tough piece of code made flesh from Sony, and we can’t wait for another helping. Don’t listen to Nietzsche, this God is alive and kicking ass.

While I’d still like to see a proper 3D Mario game on Wii U, 3D World does so much right that it’s hard to bash the formula, especially when it veers off course so often.

Starcraft may be good, but there's a big, nagging complaint I have: Starcraft 2 is Starcraft 1 with prettier graphics but fewer features.

How impressive God of War is on PC really gives credit to Santa Monica Studio’s work on this game. It’s still a gorgeous journey through a unique take on Norse mythology, and a great way to play the game for the first time or revisit it before God of War Ragnarok releases. I’m as impressed with it now as I was the first time through it, and I look forward to seeing what’s in store for Kratos and Atreus in the sequel.

With excellent graphics, great level design and fast, furious action, this is sitting firmly at the top of the PS2 mountain.

Street Fighter IV gives the series the slap on the back it needs to catapult into the current and shake the fighting genre to its core.

Crashlands swooped in under my radar and surprised me with its complex yet streamlined gameplay and laugh-out-loud humor.

Persona 4: Golden proves as endearing, powerful, and emotionally charged as it did in 2008, but with a host of new features and newcomer crutches, the experience can't be beat. Despite a few small hiccups, including the odd one-hit kill from an unassuming shadow, Golden manages to yank at your heart and delight in even servings. There's no better game for your Vita this holiday season.

Persona 5 is the pinnacle of the JRPG genre, showcasing for one of the few times in history what it's like when a beautiful story is assisted by great gameplay. This is a game with a wonderful personality, and one with more content than just about any other single-player game you can name...Persona 5 might have arrived with subtlety like a cool breeze, but its tailwinds will leave behind a confident and meaningful reminder that JRPGs are alive and well.

My biggest warning to anyone considering purchasing RDR2 on PC is that you need to have patience when you set it up. Take the time to go through each graphics option, compare your performance on Vulkan vs. DirectX 12, and tailor the game to your specs. Once you have the game tuned, there’s no better way to experience it than on PC.

In the meantime, Hearthstone is definitely worth the entrance free of zero moneys. Now, your time investment may grow to be worth much more than that amount, as is the case with many games under the Blizzard banner. That part, once again, they definitely have gotten right.

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.

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.

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

Okami’s single player campaign is one of the most ambitious we’ve ever seen, and with its score of collectible items, trees to save and animals to feed as well as characters you like and a story you’ll want to revisit, this is a game you could easily wind up playing twice or thrice.

This is easily the best game out for the PS3. With 100 or 200 hours of quality entertainment on one (Blu-Ray) DVD and so many different ways to play, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Oblivion can be nearly paralyzing just figuring out what it is you want to do next.

That’s the beauty of survival, and this world of fallout: It feeds on adventure and breathes in freedom, yet it dreams of order and the safety of the Vault. I can describe it, explain it, tell it in finely chosen words, but I can never make you fully understand for as long as you sit and listen. But even if I die, I do not worry. There will come a time when you will seize that lever and open that metal door, and it is then I will return. And the Wasteland will greet you, the birth of a legend.

Gears of War 2 doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does bring a good bit of polish to the concepts that made the first such a success.

Overwhelmingly good. This game is one of the finest gridiron products on the market with great gameplay, smooth graphics and options that would take all day to describe. While perhaps not a perfect football game (if there is such a thing), NFL 2K3 definitely raises the bar.

The lack of licensing, clear instructions during the tutorials and a few play issues spoil some of WE 6's game, but it still competes nicely with the FIFA kingpin.

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.

The technical and gameplay prowess of the long-awaited Mass Effect 3 cannot be denied. The improvements in combat, graphics, and multiplayer are definite, though that may have detracted from the last third of the game, which feels slightly stiff and rushed compared to the first two-thirds where uniting the aliens races under a common goal brings a welcome resolution. Mass Effect 3 is like a comet: It may not last as long as you'd like and its trail may not be as brilliant as its coma, but it is a sight that no one can forget.

To everyone who grew up with Metal Gear Solid, especially the ones who bought Zone of the Enders for the Metal Gear Solid 2 demo, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is an experience that will never be forgotten. While it is sad that we may never see another Metal Gear with Kojima's vision, he gave us one hell of a goodbye. Thank you, Big Boss.

The most enjoyable aspect of Skies of Arcadia is the way the game flows.... In Skies, the story, as well as the ability to freely explore the map, move the game along at a brisk pace.

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.

The only thing I'm left wondering is where Harmonix can go from here with the series having pretty much crammed everything you'd want out of the series.

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?

The closed European racetracks are a refreshing change of pace from the 'left turn only' American Nascar equivalent. The graphics are definitely beautiful and it controls sweetly.

Hades takes the hated cycle of retrying the same checkpoint over and over again, flips it on its head with rewarding progression, and makes the player genuinely look forward to starting over with new abilities and upgrades.

The Resident Evil 4 remake keeps what made the original so good while significantly elevating the story with horror elements, the presentation with cutting-edge visuals and performance, and the gameplay with many welcome quality-of-life improvements. While there are some small niggles that I would have loved to see perfected, this remake exceeds expectations, perfectly balancing the action with the horror and cementing Resident Evil 4 as my favorite game in the series.

It's tremendous fun and very addicting, despite the uninteresting plot and the bad acting. I only wish it were larger because I enjoyed it so much.

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.

The deepest foray yet into the Star Wars universe and well worth the price of admission.

Throughout the twenty-two chapters and a wonderful final level that you won’t want to miss, Nathan Drake’s story is finally complete. Whatever a future developer chooses—Naughty Dog has said this is their last Uncharted—they have mighty big shoes to fill. Muddy, worn out, hilarious shoes.

It’s the best single-player Smash to date, and still retains the fantastic couch co-op the series is known for, but only time will tell if online functionality catches up to the rest of the game.

An improvement in nearly every way over the original, which was arguably the best racing game previously made for the PlayStation... This game is beautiful, even hypnotic to watch, and fun to play.

The story is delivered with a good dose of humor, taking occasional potshots at Mario's past. The familiarity of the world is one of the game's greatest assets, and Nintendo does a great job keeping its tradition alive.

But unlike the PS2 and PC versions, the Xbox port comes with that rarest of GTA treasures - a replay feature.

Although not the breakthrough that was Limboback in 2010, Inside is nonetheless a beautifully-crafted refinement of that experience.

With its army of minor improvements and thoughtful touches, Blizzard has blessed all MMORPGers with the genre’s finest, most polished title to date. Whether you enjoy hardcore role-playing, shameless griefing or something in the middle, you will find what you’re looking for in this brave, new world.

Sure, the instant replay feature was left out, but this is a mostly untouched Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, one of the best games ever made, and now a version of it can be played on the PC with the best controls and graphics available.

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.

The biggest problem with my new game is the cinematography. I don't know what schmuck hired these camera guys, but they should have their pinkies cut off or something. Sometimes entire fight scenes are obscured by a curtain.

With the changing seasons, a large variety of cars, and tighter track design, Forza Horizon 4 has done with arcade racers what Forza Motorsport has done with racing sims. It’s created an attractive package that is readily accessible and keeps you engaged even if racing isn’t really your thing. It’s fun to play for hours or just a race at a time, and it’s this that gives it the staying power that will keep you coming back for more.

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.

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.

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.

Overwhelmingly good. This game is one of the finest gridiron products on the market with great gameplay, smooth graphics and options that would take all day to describe. While perhaps not a perfect football game (if there is such a thing), NFL 2K3 definitely raises the bar.

Here's an analogy. Your 360 before Guitar Hero 2 is like an innocent Catholic schoolgirl who has never heard an electric guitar before in her life and who probably thinks the Captain and Tennille is pretty heavy. Your 360 after Guitar Hero 2 is the headless yet paradoxically headbanging body of that schoolgirl after her mind was literally blown away at the loudest rock concert in hell. So there’s only one question you gotta ask yourself: Cash or credit, bro?

The biggest problem with my new game is the cinematography. I don’t know what schmuck hired these camera guys, but they should have their pinkies cut off or something. Sometimes entire fight scenes are obscured by a curtain.

One of the most technically impressive adventures you can find, matched with a detailed and unique multiplayer, all while making it easy for a newcomer to pick up and enjoy. Drake's Deception is why most gamers play video games-experiences that keep us awed and engaged, and extra content to keep us coming back for more.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a stunning game that bridges an excellent start and what’s sure to be a thrilling conclusion. Unfortunately, being stuck in the middle puts a lot of weight on the game, which makes it strain in some areas. However, it’ll only be possible to appreciate its merits once the final chapter is complete. Only then will we have the context to see how well Rebirth succeeded or failed. For now, I’d lean toward it being a resounding success that translated the original material wonderfully while also adding a few twists that will have even long-time fans wondering what will happen next.

If the world of gaming has an “all-for-one, one-for-all” philosophy, the multiplayer landscape definitely has the “one-for-all” attitude down pat. Getting people to work as one towards a common goal is rare, but Rock Band makes it common. There really is no room anymore for the cliché that a gamer is just some unkempt teenage sweating in some lonely basement filled with loose cables and empty water bottles.

Playing again on the PS4 was, is, and continues to be just as remarkable as it was three years ago.

Though not as refined and freeform as some of its predecessors, it continues in the longstanding Souls tradition of lending credence to challenging games and making the seemingly Sisphyean task of conquering ruthless, malformed monstrosities possible and downright commendable.

Great, creepy fun. Although weak combat and arcadey features flaw this endeavor, it's simple to play and very immersive with plenty of dark atmosphere, cool magic effects, and more shuffling zombies than you can fit in a mall.

Enhanced gameplay combined with a great story and fantastic CG will give even the most peaceful elf a new reason to go to war.

This is one of the most original and innovative games we've seen in ages.

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.

This is the best platform game that I have played in a long time. Of course, it follows the basic formula of a platformer - kidnapped female, evil castle, jump on enemies, etc. But the reason the formula still exists is due to the fact that, occasionally, it works really well. Banjo-Kazooie is a case where the cliche works to perfection.

While it doesn't re-invent the wheel, Forza Motorsport pretty much perfects it. Its user-friendly options make it great for casual drivers and its generous reward system honors the skill of the experienced racer.

There is more virtual football reality available in this game than you could ever hope to find on TV, in the newspapers or on the internet. The lack of online play is a disappointment, but even so, this is a great football game.

It’s unfortunate that Street Fighter IV steals much of the would-be impact and innovation from Super Street Fighter IV, but when all is said and done, SSFIV is the best modern fighter in video games today.

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.

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.

Bar none, the best FPS game to come down the pipe in quite awhile...By successfully blending the RPG and action elements, System Shock 2 has assured its place in gaming history.

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.

A great looking, well-written beast of an RPG, though some of its technical aspects could’ve operated more smoothly. We don’t like the fact that everything feels unorganized, or that we still have to spend so much time with menus, but we love the story and the world and the humongous levels of customization.

It spends a great deal of its energy trying to impress the audience with unparalleled scope. The result is an experience that succeeds in its mission of being a grand experience, but commonly missteps when it comes to fundamentals such as combat, leveling systems, and user interface design.

It does a nice job offering a much cheaper alternative without sacrificing too much quality. It's just a shame that the online play is broken, though I suppose you get what you pay for after all.

While it surely won't appeal to the Tekken heads, it's a great fit for those who swear by Samus and die by Donkey Kong.

Street Fighter 6 is a redemptive sequel that’s more complete and has a distinct style. Street Fighter 5 did eventually get better, but Street Fighter 6 has come out the gate swinging with a suite of deep mechanics with more intuitive ways to learn and master all of them. The single-player modes are lacking, and, in World Tour’s case, disastrous, but it’s a strong fighting game that packs quite a punch.

No matter how much you tweak it, no matter how realistic you make it, tennis eventually boils down to a game of "Pong."

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a fantastic expansion to one of the best games ever. It slots into the overall journey well, and despite introducing a new map, it feels like a natural ramp-up to the conclusion of your Tarnished becoming Elden Lord. It’s easily 40-50 more hours of content, which is a steal at $40, and FromSoftware has once again proven that it’s the master at proving both quantity and quality that most other AAA studios struggle with.

A fantastic conquest. The power of the game engine has finally caught up with the developer’s vision of what a war game should really be like, and what a cool vision that is. It’s almost like getting two games for the price of one...and you can even just play your favorite.

Like a racer from Stepford, Forza Motorsport 3 is clean, well-manicured, friendly, does everything you want it to, and yet it all seems a bit… eerily familiar. Beneath the handful of smart accessibility improvements and slick menus, it’s still the same game as Forza 2. That’s not a bad thing since the series is among the best; it’s just not anything new.

With a ton of replayability, a haunting and beautiful world, and satisfying gameplay, the PS5’s first exclusive hits it out of the park. Bluepoint did an excellent job updating Demon’s Souls to feature modern graphics and quality of life fixes without stripping anything away from the original. After how well this and Shadow of the Colossus turned out, I can’t wait to see which classic the studio tackles next.

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.

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.

In the end, what we have here is the best use of the first-person engine that I have ever encountered. In a world full of "Doom" clones, it's good to see that some designers are still thinking for themselves.

It's a breath of fresh air to play such an entertaining and well done video game. Since I'm a fan of skateboarding, I truly appreciate the quality of work put into this product, but skaters and non-skaters alike will find this game a joy to play.

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.

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.

It's measured, paced, well-written narrative is only rivaled by the personal side-stories that chain some small digital soldier to your heart. Even if you're not a fan of the genre, you can find an intense wealth of value and entertainment somewhere in the barracks.

In almost all ways, The Age of Kings expands and nearly perfects the already proven AOE formula. A few remaining AI and path-finding glitches are a bother, but overall there are very, very few things that one can fault AOE 2 for. This is easily the best RTS game to come out this year, far surpassing the original, and destined to immensely entertain eager RTS fans for a very long time.

An excellent battle system and a level of visual artistry that sets a new mark for others to follow, and the long awaited addition of voices adds a dramatic element that's been missing forever...But with the steps forward come a few backward, like the inability to scene skip and the overly linear flow.

The biggest problem with my new game is the cinematography. I don't know what schmuck hired these camera guys, but they should have their pinkies cut off or something. Sometimes entire fight scenes are obscured by a curtain.

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.

Really shines in its depth. The well crafted story, admirable science-fiction world, fully realized scenario, and quality core gameplay are sure to please...it just doesn't innovate enough.

The sound is wonderful. You can almost hear the gearshifts as your jet-ski accelerates. Do a barrel roll in the air, and hear the crowd scream.

When I finished the final episode of The Walking Dead, eyes welling up with tears, I started thinking about the possibilities of where Telltale might take the series in Season Two. The series only got better with each subsequent chapter, so I can't wait to see how the studio plans to expand the franchise further in 2013.

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.

The point is, the game has no context, and it could use one.

Hundreds of hours of visually beautiful gameplay, but its frustrating incoherence will make many people cringe and put the game aside before they have even finished.

Getting people to work as one towards a common goal is rare, but Rock Band makes it common. There really is no room anymore for the cliché that a gamer is just some unkempt teenage sweating in some lonely basement filled with loose cables and empty water bottles.

I haven't been more captivated by a video gaming in years. There were moments in Journey that I stopped pushing the directional stick because I was too busy taking in my character's surroundings. Should you play Journey? Yes. You should play Journey. Right now.

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.