Without quiet moments of reflection, down-time to relax, or any meaningful relationships that go beyond the passive cut-scenes within the actual game, it all starts to feel as unrelenting as the final quarter of a bone-crunching Steven Segal movie.

Works because of the little things-a fact that makes it a refreshing gaming experience in this day and age where everyone seems bent on completely overhauling the basic tenets of what makes a good game.

Disco Elysium represents the sort of advancement in narrative-based game design that I’ve always wanted to see, where character builds and number-crunching apply exclusively to the dialogue itself, and where the “battles” manifest as arguments and interrogations. Few developers have the courage to attempt this, and fewer have the writing skills to make every conversation such a treasure. Disco Elysium has a lot to say, and it says it with heart, gravitas, and a vivid imagination.

A Link Between Worlds is a Zelda for people who have become disillusioned with Zelda over the years. It recalls the series' roots while also taking unique advantage of the 3DS hardware to create something that feels new. They may not make them exactly like they used to anymore, but Link Between Worlds shows that they still recognize what made them great in the first place.

The game was solid, addictive, and incredibly likable. However, in the greater scheme of things, Circle Of The Moon is a small step for the Game Boy Advance, and nowhere near a giant leap for videogames.

The freeform combat, gorgeous locations, and excellent multiplayer are strong, and Far Cry 3 does a fantastic job of putting the player in the middle of a lawless, chaotic world and letting them get up to whatever they please. Yes, video games are capable of achieving much more than Far Cry 3 does, but it makes a persuasive argument that there's nothing wrong with a guilty pleasure now and again—especially when it's as slickly presented as this is.

As a title that miraculously manages to be accessible to newcomers, challenging to veterans, rewarding to explorers, detail-rich for the lore-lovers, and able to be completed by the dedicated, Dark Souls 2 is an intriguing, well-designed title that should not be missed.

Although it's possible to rattle off a list of bullet-point features that imply Assassin's Creed II is head and shoulders above the first game—more missions, more story, more collectibles and extras—I simply didn't find them to amount to much.

One of the most refined and most unique racers of the last few years. It's getting harder and harder for racing games to stand out, but Bizarre Creations succeeded in making Project Gotham Racing 2 a racing game unlike any other.

Take away some of its flaws, and the bar would've been raised higher than most games could ever hope to surpass. In lieu of that, we have Kamiya's latest, a breakneck, top-tier example of the 3-D action brawler.

For players who love killing things, building godly characters, and grabbing loads of awesome loot in the process, Diablo III Ultimate Evil Edition is the biggest no-brainer purchase of this year.

For every 500 games that are boring, uninspired, graphically-enhanced rehashes, just one title like ICO is enough to reinvigorate my love of games and keep me going another day.

It's aesthetically fresh, filled with original creations, and presents a wholly unique mix of gameplay styles.

Ape Escape borrows too heavily from games on other systems and doesn't deliver enough to help it stand out beyond the Mario clones flooding the market.

Trials Evolution truly is the next step in the outstanding core experience from HD, polishing every aspect of an already-fantastic game to a near-blinding sheen, and then delivering something peerless in terms of technical precision and visceral addiction. They don't come better than this

One of those really rare sequels - one that actually lives up to the spirit of the original while improving on it in subtle ways.

So Portal does its job within the Orange Box compilation, taking a brilliant left-field idea and successfully merging it with Valve's universe over an entertaining few hours of gaming.

After pushing through the highs and the lows and finally rolling credits, I was pleased to find that the adventure didn’t end — so I just continued playing and rekindled the magical feeling that I had at the beginning. In Animal Well, there are apparently always more secrets to discover.

It is Daxter who gives the game its flavor—more so than the relatively anonymous Jak. This flavor is ultimately what sets Jak And Daxter apart from a lot of the other platform games out there.

I’ve gone on record several times to say that Mortal Kombat 11 is a fantastic game, and this Ultimate package is a fantastic deal. If there’s anyone out there still curious but hasn’t yet taken the plunge, there’s no better time.

Sea of Stars is an outstanding RPG experience that, for me, has become an instant classic. Story elements, combat, and worldbuilding all feel simultaneously retro-inspired and deeply innovative. I am floored with the creativity, wonder, and life Sabotage Studio poured into their second game, and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for us next. Until then, whether you’ve played hundreds of RPG’s or if this is your first, Sea of Stars is a must-play.

Nevertheless, as it is, Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- remains a superlative visual novel, and a must-read for any fan of Type-Moon’s work, as well as a great potential entry point for those looking to get into visual novels as a medium.

Those susceptible to motion sickness be warned: Smilebit were able to devote very convincing flight physics to the camera and movements, some of the best ever captured in a videogame cartridge or disc.

Despite its lackluster first act, Episode 2 ends up showing more of the kind of progressive gameplay I have been wanting to see from the series.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 is a true gamer's game. Atlus has outdone themselves again and proved that they are at the leading edge of role-playing.

Altogether, I spent more than 50 hours in the world of Hollow Knight, and even after low points like devoting an entire evening to just one boss or constantly running to a wiki for info, the experience was absolutely worth it – critically speaking, it’s impossible to not recognize what is staggering piece of work this game is.

There’s basically nothing to find fault with in Dave the Diver. Did I have trouble mastering a few of the cooking minigames, and an easy mode for the rhythm games would have been appreciated – but that’s a drop in the ocean compared to what it does right. Filling out the fish index, sneaking through a secret base, gambling in a merfolk casino – everywhere I turned there was something new to try, and all of it was built with care and wit. There’s a shocking amount to do here, all of it is worth sinking time into.

Limbo is without question a visceral, virtuoso performance of the kind that grips a person from start to finish.