I'm giving Advance Wars 2 an 8.5 because of the game's lack of any significant innovation (the missile silos and volcanos are nice, but one new tank doesn't cut it for me). The developers decided not to take any risks, which I can't really fault them for, since the first game was so damn close to perfection to begin with.

In closing, L.A. Noire's ambitions far outstrip its abilities, and it's a frustrating failure most of the running time. That being said, the shooting is exceptional, the occasional fistfighting is functional, and the foot chases are endearingly dynamic.

The action here will completely satisfy anyone looking for the kind of lighthearted, kinetic run-and-gun that was mastered several iterations ago, and my grievances with it are more of the intellectual variety than anything else.

I can talk about why the game is fun, but I can't lie and say the game is brilliant. Mario isn't what he used to be. There are glimmers and flickers of greatness in this game - moments where I felt the magic might almost be back. But it's not. Not yet.

The pacing can be a little languid at times, and the combat and movement controls could use some tweaking. Also, this game feels a little linear and lacking in extras when compared to the original.

From the top-notch characterizations to the ethical indecision of its cast, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is a significant step forward for the series's maestro.

Most of my complaints about Battlefield 1 are small. With a few tweaks and an update or two, Battlefield 1 could be the best in the series, and it feels like the refresh this series has needed for a while. Setting Battlefield in WW1 paid off and I’m excited to see what the series does next. But for now, I can’t wait to jump back in and pull off another successful bayonet charge.

Virtua Fighter has been successful as long as it has by catering to an audience that could serve as the definition of the word hardcore.

The combination of a unique concept and a refreshing original and light-hearted setting make WarioWare one of the pleasant surprises in terms of engaging original software on the GBA.

Ultimately, I think it's the focus on the characters and the growth they experience that takes Grandia over the top. The angle the designers took for Grandia as a more lighthearted and anecdotal adventure is refreshing. It never overwhelms like the newer, over-ambitious efforts that are out there but rather, offers up the less tangible part of gaming.

The sad fact for Horizon, and every other open-world game like it, is that we now live in a post-Witcher 3 world. CD Projekt Red has raised the bar for this genre in nearly every conceivable way, and it is absolutely not enough to simply be another open-world game. The sidequests have to be interesting, the writing has to be engaging, the characters have to be memorable – just putting a good premise and great graphics on top of boilerplate content isn’t enough. At least, it’s not enough for this reviewer.

Devil May Cry V is still an outstanding title rooted in the tradition of Japanese-style character-action games. The play and content enhancements are both substantial and worthy of a “Special Edition” moniker. There’s enough here for fans of the original to return, and newcomers looking for something to play on their new consoles are in for a whirling-dervish of a good time.

Truly a superlative game, offering unparalleled control, fine presentation and plenty of play modes to toy around with.

In the end, Paradise is both more and less than its predecessors. Not everything that made the previous Burnout games great has survived the transition to the new open world format.

A Short Hike is a simple, small, straightforward experience that delivers a truckload of charm via the simple pleasure of exploring a mountainside without punishment or negative consequence. It does what it does well, and the experience ends exactly the way it should, exactly when it should. Well done!

It supplies everything the arcade racing fan wants: slick graphics, lots of speed, and a lot of style.

Looking a little deeper as someone who's been around the block, it's disappointing to see that so much of Shadow Complex feels utterly bereft of inspiration. It's certainly a job well done, but really, this job's been done before.

There are glimmers of clever moments caught in a sea of busywork here, but take away the shoddy controls and the obsession with layered math problems, and what are we left with? Someone’s absurdist thriller mystery that is so esoteric that it’s hard to care. Honestly, I can’t recommend Lorelei and the Laser Eyes to anyone other than the most patient and experimentally inclined players in the world. For everyone else, heed my words of warning — sit this one out.

Although it’s clear the experimental narrative adventure genre isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, What Remains of Edith Finch proves that videogames are still ripe with opportunities for deep, mature storytelling. Tissue companies might notice a bump in sales as long as developers like Giant Sparrow are around, too.

A pretty tough game. It's not a long experience, but players will no doubt add a few hours to the final tally from being killed and having to replay missions.

Mario Kart 8 is pretty great in many ways, but undoubtedly moreso with a collection of friends to play with, or when facing off against other players online.

A totally lush and vibrant experience.There's a palpable sense of energy in the game, and it shines so brightly it's impossible not to see.

Due to the fact that both elements of F.E.A.R., the horror and the action, are crafted so thoughtfully they seamlessly merge together to create a, if not unique, then at least very polished experience.

NHL 10 could very well be one of best hockey video games since the immortal NHL 95, and that in my books is a great comparison.

In the culmination of this story BioShock 2 outdoes the original and establishes its own worth, with a closing sequence that hits every note perfectly.

Mewgenics is sure to be a hit with Binding of Isaac fans, roguelite fans, and tactics RPG fans. It has McMillen’s signature ugly-cute Newgrounds flash art, a toe-tapping soundtrack, and an unfathomable number of ways for players to approach its chaotic, layered grid combat — just be prepared to see many, many, many cats expire as nine lives are not included.

If Nier: Automata had been more compact or structured differently, it would have been more effective, immediate and powerful. Instead, it’s a great idea stretched across too many hours of uninspiring content. Although I had affection for the androids and admired what the script ultimately revealed, this is one case where less would have definitely been more.

Dishonored was already amazing, and this sequel bests it on every level.

It Takes Two is not only a wonderful co-op experience, it’s a genuine masterpiece of platforming and interactive storytelling. Every moment my partner and I were playing this game was filled with pure joy, and it became the perfect way to cap off our days for the last few weeks. It Takes Two is arguably one of the greatest games I’ve played in years.

Moon Studios is now two-for-two on games that look as good as they handle, while also guiding players through a gamut of emotions. The team is reportedly doing something new for their next project, and hopefully they’ll nail it as handily as they’ve done with Ori. But even if they’re exposed as a one-trick pony, let it be known that in the crowded field of indie platformers about small, childlike protagonists trapped in dark, imposing worlds, no developer on the planet is better at it than Moon.

The sheer number of battles, along with the multiple endings (the story branches at several points based on the gamer’s selections), extra maps with hidden treasure not found in the main quest, and the multiplayer function that allows players to put their squads head-to-head make Tactics Ogre a game with a lot to offer in terms of gameplay.

Left Behind is a fantastic piece of content, and Naughty Dog has again raised the bar for all developers who aim to tell character-driven stories. They just don't come better than this.

Sure, it might not reinvent the wheel as built by Diablo II over a decade ago, but Runic deserves props for perfectly recreating the formula. Many others have tried to bring their own take on Diablo to the market-and failed. Runic didn't, which makes Torchlight II an essential purchase for anyone who loves to crawl through dungeons while scoring phat loot.

To be perfectly blunt, XCOM 2 is a pretty bad experience right now, and the best advice I can give is simple: wait for upcoming patches to fix things before buying. There's a much better game hidden somewhere beneath the performance issues and gameplay flaws, and it's a shame.

The game's executions of different standards in platforming are almost mathematical in a sense that it's measured with surgical precision... The best the platforming genre has to offer right now.

I miss my sprite-based 16-bit hockey games, deficient opponent AI and all. Somehow I recall enjoying those more than I did ESPN NHL Hockey, even despite all that it brings to the genre: nuanced controls, deep physics and mechanics, a licensed presentation and polished visuals.

Difficulties with the interface aside, Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition is an intriguing, challenging, relentlessly charming game that serves as a refreshing break from bleaker RPGs that have dominated the rest of the year. It absolutely shouldn't be overlooked by RPG fans who never played it on PC. For those who have played the original, enough has changed in the story and progression that the remastered edition is well worth a second purchase to play locally with friends.

Playing Cuphead on the easier difficulty reveals that the game’s challenge level is the only trick up its sleeve. Take that away, and all we’re left with is an uninspired and monotonous run-and-gun that just happens to be the most visually-striking release of 2017. Yes, Cuphead’s presentation is magnificent — it’s just a shame that StudioMDHR couldn’t come up with an interesting game to pair with it.

The Tony Hawk series was never about realism, and whether they’re old enough to have nostalgia for it or not, Pro Skater 1+2 is a fantastic remake offering intuitive and massively enjoyable gameplay that deserves any skate fan’s attention.

Those who shirk from buying Twisted! because of its quirky production values, one-track design and, crucially, its short core lifespan are those whose preoccupation with value for money and dependable purchases is slowly sapping game design of its freedom and gaming of its ability to showcase the broadest and most experientially distinct body of work of any popular medium.

Despite its age, Fez manages to feel as entertaining and relevant as it ever was — it’s a puzzle-platformer that expertly hides a deep level of difficulty behind a surface layer of relaxing action, beautiful music and attractive graphics. While there are no new features of note on this Switch port, what’s here is still as scrumptious and inviting as it ever was.

In the end, Deathloop is a pretty decent ride with a fantastic sense of style and a lot of freedom for players to experience Colt’s story as they see fit. However, the overall experience is shaken by a surprising amount of bugs, braindead enemy artificial intelligence, lackluster PVP and by-design repetition as Colt works to piece together the mystery of Blackreef. I largely enjoyed my time, though I was very ready for Colt’s day to end as I neared the campaign’s finale, and it’s unlikely I’ll be looping back into the game for more any time soon.

Thirty Flights of Loving is precisely as long as it needs to be, and contains exactly what it needs to contain. This efficiency makes it a richer experience, not a poorer one, because it insists that the player engage with the story and piece it together himself, rather than sitting back and absorbing an endless train of cinematics.

The Xbox 360 port is an impressive technical accomplishment that brings a classic PC RPG experience to a new audience. The transition is not flawless, but those who stick with it will be rewarded with an intriguing and entertaining experience.

Perhaps the greatest legacy of Liberty City Stories will be to serve as a cautionary tale. As the power of portables becomes more analogous to home consoles, developers will be well-served to remember that even though the screen may be smaller, it does a great job of magnifying flaws.

In any event, my quibbles with this series are quite small, and easy to forgive when compared to the overall experience that Telltale is crafting. There's nothing else available today able to affect me to a similar degree, or that can resonate with me as a human being. That's the sort of thing that carries a great deal of weight, and it makes The Walking Dead easily one of 2012's best.

Apex Legends is fast, fluid, and quite possibly the best battle royale game yet.

One of the stated goals of the developers was to immerse the player, allowing her to experience the sense of satisfaction of pulling off an intricate heist, tangoing with the law or paragliding across a Prague estate while remaining dapper and collected. In this I think Sucker Punch definitely delivered.

It’s not until Devil May cry 5 starts throwing tougher enemies into the mix and the main characters have most of their skills unlocked that the game really comes to life. Those who want the most out of it should be prepared for a second run at least. It may not be the best Devil May Cry — 2013’s DmC still holds that honor — but it’s a cracking action romp.

A fun game. But it is not as good a simulation of soccer as it could be. Too much of the gameplay feels scripted, and although you can pull off some beautiful moves, the unexpected occurs far too seldom.

There are few games as fun as Bomberman, and even though it is just in a new shape, the refinement of the multiplayer battle mode makes you want to take it with you everywhere.

One of the PlayStation 2 's best fighters in a portable format, and it made the jump without sacrificing a bit of the quality.

While I appreciate that Shogun Showdown distills the roguelike experience down to its essence, the overall speed of play is too slow thanks to preparing attacks and dealing with facing during fights, and this pacing is a big problem for a roguelike since they’re built on frequent runs and repeat plays. Even so, there’s a lot to like here for fans of the theme, or for roguelike players wanting something a little different.

While some Monster Hunter vets like me may be surprised or shocked at how much fat has been trimmed away, when all is said and done it’s hard to deny that those elements were fat. After a few hunts it’s clear that less is more, and this new iteration is fast, furious, and retains everything that fans love about the series while making it all less of a hassle and easier to engage with than ever before. It must have been at least a little panic-inducing for the devs to change and shift as much as they did, but I applaud their bravery – it’s paid off in spades, and Rise just might be the best Monster Hunter that’s ever been.

With F1 2020, the franchise expands on what it does best — realistically simulated F1 experiences with a low barrier for entry and high quality of execution. It also shakes up a lot with the team career mode, but at this stage the thing I really want to see from 2021’s installment would be addressing the persistent, longstanding issues to improve the quality of the experience overall.

It adds a much-needed dose of the kind of quality that is not often seen in these days of safe sequels and formulaic products.

In the last fifteen years, I’ve purchased this game four times, and happily agreed to acquire it again for a fifth. Find me another game that can still fill me with sheer elation after conquering it for the fifteenth time, and I’ll tell you that it’s not possible because one doesn’t exist. Ikaruga is a flagship title that’s been cherished for nearly two decades, and will continue to be relevant for many, many more. There’s no better way to spend money in the e-Shop.

The Doom I loved is in here somewhere, but it’s buried under excess, like a perfectly-seasoned meal that’s had a mound of salt dumped onto it. Perhaps any sequel to 2016’s extraordinary reboot was bound to disappoint, but this is one of those rare times where “more of the same” would have been the preferred option. I’d have taken the safe route over Eternal’s messy brand of overcompensation any day.

It took the better part of a decade to happen, but I’m finally in a position to say that when everything was said and done, Kentucky Route Zero came together beautifully and has solidified itself as essential for anyone interested in games that have plenty to say and share their message in a beautiful way.

Crimson Skies does so much to propel itself above mediocrity that it seems strange that, though it succeeds, it doesn't capture the robust energy of its larger-than-life story in its gameplay.

Make no mistake, I unabashedly love this game. It’s a beautiful, near-perfect blend of old-school whimsy and new-school innovation. I’d never heard of Owlboy before it re-emerged earlier this year, but even if I’d spent nearly a decade anticipating this release, I can’t imagine that the finished product would have left me unsatisfied. It’s one of the best 2D platformers I’ve ever played.

An artistic masterclass on virtually every level—it begins perfectly, it ends perfectly, and it delivers a bounty of beautiful, creative platformer goodness in between. It is, perhaps, 2015's first inevitable lock for year-end top ten lists.

Nioh is an excellent title that’s different enough from Souls. While its lore isn’t as deep or rich, and the level design isn’t nearly as breathtaking, the gameplay more than makes up for it. With over fifty hours of content, there’s plenty for action fans to enjoy, and I’m sure that Nioh will be in many Game of the Year conversations this December.

While it does indeed take a few steps in the right direction, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings doesn't live up to its own ambition.

While it might not be better than some of the classics of its genre, Gaucamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition still offers a plump pinata that delivers plenty of candy for players willing to break it open.

I generally enjoyed Shinobi: Art of Vengeance just fine. On the upside, the combat engine is fluid and satisfying to experiment with, and for the most part Shinobi: Art of Vengeance generally offers a reasonably good time. However, as a longtime series fan I expected an absolutely awesome outing, and it never quite hit the heights I was hoping for.

Overall, I truly enjoyed my time with Estelle, Joshua, and their many companions in their quest to become senior bracers. Falcom does a commendable job creating a world and story that feels real for the majority of its runtime, despite a few occasional stumbles. As a newcomer to the series, the combat system captivated me from the first battle and never let me go. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter feels like a classic JRPG I might have grown up playing, yet produced in a modern and nuanced way at the same time. Thanks to the obvious pride and care put into this remake, consider me the newest fan of the Trails series.

It's a testament to how expertly-crafted this DLC is that I can replay the base game in preparation, still get my ass kicked to an embarrassing degree, and ultimately walk away feeling satisfied and as capable as ever. The Old Hunters is definitely more "hardcore" than anything From Software has cooked up in recent memory, but those who want this know who they are, and for that select group, The Old Hunters is everything they signed up for and more.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall has excellent writing which supports the whole shebang beautifully, but its sub-par tactical gameplay holds it back once the bullets and blades start flying.

Some players (like me) who aren’t fans of online competition may question whether Injustice 2 is worth a full price purchase, but there’s a lot more content in this package than in the average fighting game, for DC fans and fighting game fans alike. Highly recommended!

There's no denying the game creates one of the most intense and interesting war game experiences out there on a console. I'm personally more a "run and gun" guy than a "sneak around in the shadows" player, and I still found SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs to be an engaging and engrossing gaming experience that immersed me in a world I'd not experience otherwise.

Perhaps, then, the most confounding thing about The Witness is that it seems to need something it doesn't have, but actually needs less of what it does.

It’s clearly a game that’s designed to be played for a hell of a lot of hours over an extended period of time, and has a lot of substance going for it. I’ll probably come back to it after a while, but even if the sense of burnout I wound up with persists, my initial experience with Dead Cells was still a hell of a good time.

The Final Fantasy VII Remake is a stellar production that kept a smile on my face from start to finish, but I have huge concerns about this project conceptually, and nothing about how Square-Enix has operated in the last fifteen years leads me to optimism. If given the choice to have a lower-scale, complete remake with the same gameplay and general improvements, I’d have taken that over this promising-yet-incomplete spectacle — the original was an important title for many reasons, and I’m concerned it won’t get the complete remake it so rightfully deserves.

This is a really big game for something found on a handheld, an epic yarn that offers up hundreds of hours of gameplay for those willing to invest the time.

It's the best SRPG I've played in years and crushes just about everything else on portables, straight up... if you don't get that PSP back and give it a shot, you're missing out, bro.

While I’m glad we finally got the Arcade mode SFV players always wanted, I’m left wondering who’s going to purchase this repackaged title. Those already in possession of the game get the updates for free, and I’m guessing that anyone who wanted to be competitive already bought it long ago. Those not interested in going online now have something to chew on with Arcade, but it pales in comparison to what other, more offline-friendly titles are doing. Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition is definitely a better package than Street Fighter V was at launch, but it still feels like it has a way to go.

Everything about it is finely-tuned and dripping with polish—the bright, stylized visuals, the rock-solid handling, the smart decisions in its core design, use of its Mexican themes, and so on.

Although appearances may be deceiving, don't judge too soon—Critter Crunch is a high-quality addition to the PSN library, and a must for PS3 puzzle fans with an internet connection. Just be ready to grit your teeth a bit towards the end.

Monster Train 2 is more Monster Train – but it’s more in the most considered, intelligent possible way. Highly recommended.

Complaints aside, the uniqueness of the concept makes the game more than worth checking out.

With its gameplay and graphical improvements, and a new story mode alongside the original, this is not only the definitive version of Shin Megami Tensei V, it might be one of the best in the SMT series overall. While it may not appeal to everyone, those who love a challenge will not be disappointed.

The controls and interaction with the game world are suspect at best and downright awful at worst. And even looking past that I still come away disappointed. The script is weak, the characters' interactions/motivations are often left unexplained, and the voice acting is mediocre in some places and bad in others. The only thing Heavy Rain really has going for it is the composition of some of the individual scenes, and that's not nearly enough to carry the whole game on its own. So in the end we don't have much of anything except the spectre of what might have been.

There’s more of what worked, almost everything that didn’t is actually improved, and it feels as though the developers really put out forth honest effort rather than churning out a low-cost, low-imagination sequel.

It’s been a while since I’ve truly felt blown away by a big-budget videogame. In the third year of the current console generation, we’ve had some excellent stuff come out, but few notables that might be seen as defining titles in the medium. Final Fantasy XVI feels like that once-in-a-generation game. A dream team of designers, artists, and producers came together to forge a brave new path not only for the Final Fantasy series, but for action games in general. While debates on what makes the series special will continue, there’s no question that this one is setting a new standard for RPGs.

Episode 1 is strictly for the fans. Anyone hoping that this expansion would explore some new gameplay elements or even improve on the old ones is up for a disappointment. It's good stuff—hey, it's Half-Life!—but it's the same stuff.

Shadow Broker is the best Mass Effect 2 DLC by an interstellar mile.

Offering excellent driving gameplay to all levels of player skill, Dirt 3 raises the bar for accessibility in a realistic driving simulator. With dozens of unique tracks, cars, and multiplayer games it offers and harassment of content without ever feeling overwhelming. By their very nature racing games are was going to be a little repetitive but Dirt 3 has almost completely succeeded in removing frustration from the mix.

Everything about the game is top-quality. The artificial intelligence provides plenty of interesting moments, the save points are frequent, the story is more accessible than Splinter Cell's dry politi-babble, the voice work and graphics are the best I've seen on the PSP, and the entire game drips with polish and care delivered by people who know what they're doing.

Apart from being repeatedly blasted to atoms by the pros, I enjoyed my time with Quake. It doesn’t have the same nostalgic pull for me that Doom does, which may contribute to a sense that it’s Doom’s less charismatic relative. That said, it’s a remaster done correctly, feeling like the original with technical improvements that help to showcase its timeless, quick and smooth gameplay.

It's no epic, but The Swapper is a satisfying morsel of a game, well worth playing.

The single player modes aren’t particularly engaging, and the broken online makes engaging in the multiplayer take way longer than it needs to. Those lucky enough to have a thriving local fighting scene are the real winners here until the servers are sorted out. FighterZ isn’t entirely my thing, but it’s easy to see that it’s as well-made, polished, and fanservicey as humanly possible.

Lacks the cohesion, pacing, and spirit the others possess. All else being equal, those missing qualities put Jak II squarely at the rear of the pack.

The worst offender by far, though, is the menu system. For a game with such a simple storyline (which would seem to be designed to appeal to kids), the interface is completely out of whack.

Those who can't get enough of Red Dead's wild west action or zombies might want to give Undead Nightmare a spin. There's a lot of game here for 800 Microsoft points, and while it's rarely as compelling as the main title, there's still some fun to be had in watching John Marsten shoot zombies in the head.

It’s more than enough that Spider-Man’s mechanics are so smooth and exhilarating that I was actively seeking out new excuses to partake in them, even when there was repetition in the actual tasks. In so thoroughly capturing what it’s like to be this character, Insomniac hasn’t simply made a great Spider-Man game, but the great Spider-Man game. I’m glad that Activision lost the license.

NSMBW isn't unfun. It's uninspired. Like the games that came before it, New Super Mario Bros. Wii evokes concepts and imagery presented in its predecessors. Unlike those games, it makes no effort to expand upon any of those ideas.

Its battles are strangely beautiful. Most of all, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the most fun I've had spending 50 hours-and 50 dollars-in a long, long time.