Animal Crossing: New Leaf finally evolves and revitalizes the formula, expands on the way you interact with your town in meaningful ways, and more importantly returns the series to portable hardware.

The sense of being Samus is really found in the details. With just the right flash of light or glare against the visor, a thin, hazy reflection of Samus can be seen against the inner glass. It's quite cool... A fantastic, top-notch effort.

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.

It deserves wholeheartedly to be on a list of nominees later this year. Play Shovel Knight. It is a damn delight.

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.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is a triumphant return for the series and makes a strong claim for the best skateboarding game ever. It’s a must-play for fans of the series and newcomers alike, and I hope this isn’t the last Pro Skater game we see from Vicarious Visions.

Bioshock is that rare game where the plot, environment, and combat are all steps above the normal video game experience. Games at their very best, like this one, can create amazing alternative worlds for us to inhabit, doing those things we can't do in real life. This is one product the free market should be very happy to have.

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.

Whether you're a long time fan or a newcomer, Resident Evil 2 remake is an absolutely fantastic game. It's the best in the series yet and wholly outshined my most optimistic expectations. It doesn't supersede the original, but it's an excellent retelling, a wonderful update, and an excellent experience.

The N64 is a 3D workhorse, and Zelda proves it with great textures, lighting, tons of little environmental effects, and smooooth framerates with no slowdown. Faces, the toughest graphical challenge on 3D characters, are fantastic in Zelda. Characters blink, look around and change expressions with surprising grace.

In atmosphere and narrative, Naughty Dog knows few barriers, and turning their talent and craftsmanship to such haunting and profound subject matter will ensure that the developer is poised to continue its dominance as a premier auteur development studio well into the next generation of console hardware.

Everything about Cuphead just feels right, even all these months after its original release. As it stands right now, this game is nearly flawless in its own right, thanks to its responsive controls and signature style.

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.

Despite its lack of replay value, Gris is a mesmerizing puzzle platformer. You won’t want the experience to end, but when it does, it will stick in your head due to its poignant atmosphere and incredible visuals. It’s just a shame that it only lasted around three hours. The game’s beauty and quality make it easy to not want it to end.

Death Stranding doesn’t try to imitate other games, and it’s not for everyone. However, it’s one of my favorite journeys in video gaming history. I feel I’ll return to again and again as the years pass.

If there’s one game you should play this year, it’s Death Stranding. It’s a system seller, and I love it.

It's so good it should come with a warning label -- or at least some methadone.

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.

Although I really liked Blow’s previous game, I just loved this. I became so absorbed in it, and its beauty complements the way it challenges my mind. I like how simply it begins and how complicated it is at the end but that there’s a logical line from those two points. There’s just a lot contained within, and I’m still finding more. I want that for others, too.

While I may be far removed from the days spent playing Super Mario World as a kid, completing it for the umpteenth time and still finding new secrets with each playthrough, experiencing Super Mario Odyssey transported me back to that same sense of wonder I felt when I first discovered the Star World, or when I used my cape to accidentally stumble upon a secret key that opened up a brand new level. Nintendo has delivered everything I could want in a Mario game, before adding things that I didn't even know I wanted. The end result of their efforts is a true modern masterpiece.

In that way, Entwined feels like Journey and that’s high praise for upstart developer Pixelopus.

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

The best version of the venerable kart-racer since the Nintendo 64 era.

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.

It is a video game that makes you perform familiar video game actions at the expense of all the reasons most people play video games, even going so far as to be ironic at times.

The Wii U version of Assassin's Creed III doesn't endanger what has made the game a masterpiece, and adds a few neat tricks of its own. The GamePad's map and horse calling features are useful tools that you'll enjoy, and being able to play it away from the television can't be understated. If you're going to purchase Assassin's Creed III for a console, the Wii U version is the king of the hill.

Impatience aside, Portal 2 is an exceptionally well-crafted, intelligent, entertaining, humorous game. You will laugh. You will feel like a freaking genius. You will want more. And yes, you will probably be hearing quotes from Portal 2 for the next three years.

Impatience aside, Portal 2 is an exceptionally well-crafted, intelligent, entertaining, humorous game. You will laugh. You will feel like a freaking genius. You will want more. And yes, you will probably be hearing quotes from Portal 2 for the next three years.

Impatience aside, Portal 2 is an exceptionally well-crafted, intelligent, entertaining, humorous game. You will laugh. You will feel like a freaking genius. You will want more. And yes, you will probably be hearing quotes from Portal 2 for the next three years.

Square Enix’s direction with FF7 Remake has impressed me with how the extra worldbuilding and tweaks to the plot have enhanced a game I already cherished. I can’t wait to play the second part, and this DLC was a great morsel to tide me over until then.

With a campaign worthy of sequel status and a multiplayer mode full of fresh, entertaining ideas, there isn't enough praise I can lay on AC: Brotherhood.

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

As far as I’m concerned, Risk of Rain 2 is as good as gaming gets. Unlocking items, discovering new synergies, planning out builds — it’s all immensely satisfying. Make no mistake: This is a tough game, and the randomized nature inherent to roguelikes just won’t click with some people. But, for players with a taste for escalating action and challenge, this game stands as one of the very best in the genre.

This series is better than it has any business being. If you’re tired of the cookie cutter, hum-drum crap coming out of big studios, Yakuza 0 is the prescription for you.

With a campaign worthy of sequel status and a multiplayer mode full of fresh, entertaining ideas, there isn't enough praise I can lay on AC: Brotherhood.

While I’d rather not see a sequel, you should know that this Remastered version basically puts a T-ball stand in Sony’s living room where they’ve now started selling bats. Depending on the level of broken the company's biggest Bravia display could become given that scenario, I'd say the brand is worth a lot of money at the moment.

Rockstar Games have unleashed the Skyrim of third-person action games. It'll have a lasting impact through controversy, through harshly addictive gameplay, and by taking the zeitgeist of 18-36 year-old males hostage and torturing them with nipple clamps.

Pyre is a game-changer. It’s a shoo-in for best indie game of the year, and it will be a crime if it isn’t at least competing for Game of the Year by the time December rolls around. As someone who walked in without any expectations, color me surprised.

Rocksteady's heavily modified Unreal Engine is a sight to behold as well. I'd go so far as to say the developer has beaten Epic Games at its own technology with Batman: Arkham City handedly surpassing Gears of War 3's highest visual achievements. The entirety of the open world is detailed, vibrant, and packed to the gills with content.

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.

With all the playtime, all the free updates, all the unique class-changing items, and the online community that will surely stick with the game post-launch you’d have trouble finding a game with much more to offer.

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.

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 depth of this game is unparalleled; there are hordes of side quests and missions and cool little easter eggs. You need to follow the main story in order to open up the whole city and gain access to property acquisition, but you can still spend hours just wandering around getting into trouble.

This is, without a doubt, the closest thing out there to actually getting together with a bunch of your friends on a Sunday afternoon, taking your characters into a dungeon, and using you own BOO to find out if that bottomless pit was actually bottomless.

Doom Eternal has a lot in common with Doom 2. Both could never dream of matching the surprise or legacy of their immediate predecessor, but they each confidently expand on the historic foundations those games set. Using fast-paced first-person shooting as the framework, each sequel has wildly improved level design, a wider selection of demons to massacre, and a larger arsenal that come together to refine its core identity in the smartest, most respectful ways possible. However, Eternal is more ambitious than its 1994 counterpart, pushing even further and creating one of the best first-person shooters ever made in the process. The Doom Slayer has faced many nightmarish opponents and toppled them all, yet his greatest victory might be slaying the impossibly high expectations set by his genre-defining precursors.

With the game's mix of a hugely interactive open world, a compelling setting, and a finely tuned combat system, I'm eager to return to delve even further into the Animus.

Using graphics that are (pardon the pun) light years ahead of the competition, Colony Wars has the best graphics ever seen on the Playstation to date. Graphics aren't all, however, and Colony Wars is not just another pretty boy. With gameplay as fun and addictive as any other good game, Colony Wars is the brightest star in the galaxy.

Silent Hill 2 Remake sets a new golden standard when it comes to remakes. The story is carried over completely intact, honoring the original narrative while adding depth where appropriate. I absolutely loved exploring the expansive, redesigned environments, which are more immersive and atmospheric than ever before. The enhanced graphics and excellent sound design contribute to an experience that is both haunting and beautiful.

Strikingly beautiful technologically as well as aesthetically... From its fantastic delivery to its tense gameplay to its innovative multiplayer, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow is an absolute femme-fatale of a game.

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.

You'll be laughing with delirious glee the minute you lay down 50 bucks and walk out of the store with two of the best console games ever made. Sure, they're older. Sure, they already came out on the PS2 and the PC. Some people prefer GTA III; others (like me) think Vice City is the better game. But what do you care? You get both!

It's the sort of game that comes around once every few years and totally changes the gaming landscape.

The remaster is just a timeless reminder of its importance in the pantheon of sneaking games.

There’s so much to Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time and so much that feels like a miracle. Many sequels this far after a series’ prime can feel like they’re stuck in the past and are merely mining nostalgia. Crash 4 does do a bit of mining, but it also strikes gold in how it impeccably balances respect for the bandicoot’s history and modernity. Crash Bandicoot 4‘s stellar level design, responsive controls, deep replayability, and superb animation all come together to create such an outstanding experience that not only brings this bandicoot back to life, but also removes it from the dusty shelf where all the other taxidermied ’90s platforming mascots go to be forgotten.

The hundreds of beautifully rendered monstrosities, items and labyrinths will keep you on your toes for months. Blizzard is also one of the first software companies to offer FREE MULTI-PLAYER GAMING.

Bioshock is that rare game where the plot, environment, and combat are all steps above the normal video game experience. Games at their very best, like this one, can create amazing alternative worlds for us to inhabit, doing those things we can't do in real life. This is one product the free market should be very happy to have.

From its incredible multiplayer to its fantastic options and gameplay, this is the premier sports title for hardcore and casual gamers alike.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the best in the series, the best in its genre, and the best game on the PS3.

It's possibly the best example of what the PS4 has to offer, and I feel like it's going to be one of those games that instantly comes to mind when they think of this console generation...The graphics, sound, combat, world, and plot all come together to make an exquisite package that is a prime example of why games are art and God of War is right up there with the best films and novels when it comes to storytelling. If you have a PlayStation 4, you should play God of War. If you don't have one, you should consider getting one to play this game.

The astounding thing about RDR 2 is that there's not only a staggering amount of story, side quests, and places to explore but that it's all high quality and doesn't feel tacked on. The high level of craftsmanship in this game is evident in all its aspects, and it's genuinely one of the best games of this generation of gaming.

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.

A fantastic single player experience, with reliable and customizable multiplayer support...what more could a FPS fan ask for.

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.

My recommendation is to go into Midgar with an open mind and allow it to wash over you. Final Fantasy VII Remake is a video game experience we only get every once in a while, and it's one of the best titles I've ever had the pleasure of playing.

Taking its name from one of the most seminal technological inventions of the 20th century, Transistor is unequivocally one of the greatest games this year and rivals Journey as one of the best indie titles this decade.

This game is a masterpiece and is worth every single penny. If you've been excitedly waiting for Riven, never fear, you'll love it. This game has proved itself in all aspects, the only way someone could not like it is because it's too intellectually challenging, or they simply don't like these types of games.

Even with the flaws, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a masterpiece that sets a new standard for the classic JRPG genre, bringing over all of the expertise Atlus has with the Shin Megami Tensei series. A lesser game would have crumbled under the weight of such precariously loaded subjects — politics, governance, discrimination, injustice, religion — but Metaphor is able to navigate through them without becoming preachy or predictable. The epilogue in particular addresses the assumption that a hero who can fight villains would know anything about statecraft and tempers the game’s main conceit about the importance of fantasy. On that front, Metaphor’s maturity and self-awareness are real enough.

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.

This is a real treasure and a tribute to all-things Witcher, perfectly captured in the final moment before the credits roll: a close-up of Geralt, who turns to look directly at the player through the screen with a subtle grin, as if giving thanks for the chance to tell one last Witcher story.

Super Mario 3D Land is one of the best Mario games in recent memory. It's better than New Super Mario Bros. and just about on par with Galaxy. A few months back I stated that Ocarina of Time 3D was the premier reason to own a 3DS. That is no longer the case. Mario is still Nintendo's man to move hardware, even if he is a bit late to the party.

Sure, you could spend your entire time shooting at both living and dead, but the best gameplay comes from varied and mechanically diverse controllable characters.

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.

SOMA surpassed my expectations of what a psychological science-fiction horror story could be.

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

For most, Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online will continue to present the same frustrations in place of freedom. There’s no getting around the fact that this open-world game aims to deliver variety, largely does, and yet still steps on a few toes and the sensibilities of responsibly minded Americans. I can’t help but love the parody and the ensuing outcry.

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.

The past decade has seen the genre jump, shoot, and blow stuff up real good with games like Resident Evil 4, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Dead Space. Each redefined what a well-balanced 15-hour experience could be by delivering a compelling narrative, tight gameplay, and outstanding world building. Rise of the Tomb Raider bests even those classics with a character that resonates like no other. Even if it took nearly twenty years for that to happen, this is an adventure worth replaying with a hero who’s unforgettable.

The amazing part is that GT takes all of this into account and represents it in the performance of your car. This includes traction, weight, load balance, gear ratios, downforce, and lots of other technical racing jargon. For example, buy a racing suspension, and before each race you can modify the car height (front and rear), spring rate, shock damping and camber angle.

Madden 2004 for the PS2 may be the most complete game I've ever played, period. 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.

Little Big Planet is just what Doctor Sony ordered: universally appealing gameplay with an appealing everyman hero that is connected to streaming delivery of new content. Sony should be lauded for such a gamble, and Media Molecule should be praised. This is a rare toy that has the capacity to inspire the inventor, the explorer, and the gamer.

It’s got megatons of style, inventiveness, playability and replayability…and all the while, it still manages to feel like sunshine, candy and the glory days of 3D console videogaming yore.

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.

Just plain fantastic... One the best Japanese ports ever.

Unless Black Ops II or Far Cry 3 manage to revolutionize the genre in astronomical ways, Halo 4 is the clear frontrunner for best first-person shooter of 2012. Heck, it may very well be the best game you play all year.

This is the "Rosemary's Baby" of video games, a video-offspring of demonic potential...the best multi-player game of 2000, bar none.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is one of the best games ever made.

The PC version of Assassin's Creed III has been injected with eye-popping enhancements that bring its compelling story to life. It's like personally participating in the American Revolution without the consequences of death. The ticket price of traveling back to the fascinating period of America's battle for independence, and the fictional story that Ubisoft Montpellier has layered within it, is just a copy of Assassin's Creed III and a high-end PC. Just remember that you'll have to leave your social life behind.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn’t just good, it’s the best launch title I’ve ever played. It will single-handedly validate the purchase of the Switch for many people, and given the device's $299 price tag that's a huge accomplishment.

Halo has totally revolutionized how we look at console FPS games. Before you go to that big sweat-stained sofa in the sky, you absolutely have to play this game.

While no game will ever be perfect, Halo: Reach is as close as Bungie is going to get with the series, and I think they knew that going in. So they did their damndest to make sure it lived up to its namesake, probably even more so than Halo 3 did.

This is exactly the kind of revolutionary title that we applaud. Sure, others like it will come along, some will even surpass it, but hats off to Resident Evil for getting there first.

Just about the best game yet released on the system and one of the most impressive console titles we've ever seen. And I ain't blowing smoke up your tailpipe.

Bioshock is that rare game where the plot, environment, and combat are all steps above the normal video game experience. Games at their very best, like this one, can create amazing alternative worlds for us to inhabit, doing those things we can't do in real life. This is one product the free market should be very happy to have.

The best Rayman game in the series and one of the best games this year.

The fact is that Tomb Raider for the PSX/Saturn looks like a 64-bit game on a 32-bit machine. It is incredibly good (revolutionary, in fact).

The Stanley Parable is a game which isn’t really applicable to the standard rating system. It’s a game that achieves what it has set out to achieve perfectly, and though it could be longer and have more endings, it doesn't need them. It’s a thought-provoking and intelligent game which should be experienced by everyone, and one which will be referenced for a long time to come.

Armored Edition comes with all the pre-existing DLC as part of the game, and the player can jump right into Harley Quinn's Revenge from the start screen (though it warns you that this is likely to spoil a great deal of the story). This, plus the awesome immersion of the Wii U Gamepad makes it so, I can't imagine wanting to play this incredible game on any other system.