I think the result of all of its interlocking systems is a game that wants to slam you with moments of epiphanies. For me, my experience with Link’s Awakening was about getting that one major flash of insight and then using that to understand the rest of the game and then the rest of the Zelda series. For Breath of the Wild, Nintendo made a game that could replicate that moment over and over.

Rockstar has done a brilliant job blending an open-world game experience with the freedom of discovery and balancing that with the tightly woven narrative. Nearly 3,000 people are listed as contributors to the game. I don’t know if we’ll see the like of this again. Red Dead Redemption 2 is an amazing work of art.

This is another Mario all-time classic that we'll be remembering and celebrating for decades to come.

I'm joyfully exploring every inch of the land and delighting in my discoveries, and I don't see myself stopping any time soon.

The pacing becomes somewhat sluggish right before you hit the final act, but from there it moves at a 100 miles an hour. I didn’t leave my couch until well after the credits rolled.

God of War is an exhilarating, beautiful action game that turns one of PlayStation's biggest icons into a character you can care about.

Braid is still one of the best puzzle platformers you can ever play.

Infinite’s biggest issue is that the stiff nonplayer characters really dampen the impact of the social themes. Irrational worked so hard building this world filled with terrible racial imagery, but it’s difficult to feel the effects of that when I can’t relate to the mechanical mannequins that populate Columbia...It’s actually a minor complaint, but it’s very noticeable in a product that is otherwise so exquisitely put together.

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions brings the series’ gorgeous, twin-stick action successfully to iOS. The graphics and music are as good as ever, the variety and options are staggering, and the controls work. It’s a game that absolutely must be on your iOS device.

The story of God of War Ragnarök may not be as straightforward as it was in God of War, but that’s to its credit. It’s messy and complicated, but that makes the emotional payoff all the better. The gameplay remains largely unchanged, which unfortunately does lose it some points with me, but it does feel enjoyable when the player can settle into a rhythm. God of War Ragnarök is an exceptionally good game, and if you loved the last one, you’ll almost certainly love this one too.

I said that the original game is the very best of what video games can be on the PlayStation 3. And this game, available on the PlayStation 4 on June 19, also represents the very best of what video games can be.

It's an incredibly immersive experience. It's just one I didn't really want to be immersed in right now.

It is beautiful. It sounds amazing. Its controls are perfect. It loves you with its pacing and variety, and it never wants you to get bored.

A beautiful and content-rich bundle of joy for Vita owners looking to dust off their woefully undersupported handhelds. The subtle incorporation of new characters, scenarios, and even online connectivity takes full advantage of the new hardware without compromising content or story quality.

Persona 5 is full of style and confidence. Persona 5 knows that it's special, and you'll soon know it, too.

I was equally exhilarated and disappointed by Mass Effect 3, and while I mostly enjoyed Commander Shepard's final chapter at the time, I'm now left pondering everything that it could have been, yet sadly never will be.

As a game, The Phantom Pain excels. The stealth and action work beautifully in the open-world setting, and maintaining your Mother Base gives you plenty of rewards. It’s long, fun, and gives players tons of variety. I just wish that the story offered more.

The Resident Evil 4 remake feels like something made by a big fan of the original, but one who wasn’t afraid to switch things up a bit.

Uncharted 4's journey is gorgeous and thrilling. It's full of surprises and callbacks that fans of the series will love. It manages to pay tribute to what came before while offering a satisfying conclusion to Drake's story. If this series truly is done, Uncharted 4 ensures that it's a tale we'll never forget.

The online features drag the experience down a bit. If you’re someone hoping for a good online multiplayer experience with Ultimate, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a fun fighting games to play with friends on a couch, nothing serves you better than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

This is the best Forza Horizon game, and that makes it one of the best racing games ever. But that just doesn’t wow me like it once did.

I loved Final Fantasy VII Remake, but Rebirth makes it look like a demo.

Bloodborne is the system seller for all dedicated gamers that don’t already own a PS4.

I can't tell a lug nut from a spark plug. But Forza Horizon 5's world is so beautiful that I'm more willing to play and learn just so I can continue existing in its dazzling vistas.

Street Fighter 6 is further proof that Capcom is on top of the gaming world these days.

Playing The Witcher 3 with an eye for grand strategy can be both a densely engrossing and mechanically frustrating, overlong adventure. When played one move at a time, however, Wild Hunt is the supreme alchemical distillation of the role-playing experience. It’s a bleakly human play at the heart of a dark fantasy.

If you’re a seasoned Souls-like fan, then it’s worth picking up a PS5 just for Demon’s Souls. If not, I still recommend having your passport stamped in Boletaria, but know what you’re getting into beforehand and proceed with caution … and plenty of Moon Grass.

It’s rare for a game to so ruthlessly and completely nail the altered reality games place us in the way Undertale does. Whether it’s the nameless NPCs you always meet in RPGs or the hundreds of mooks you mow down with gunfire in games like Uncharted, Undertale brilliantly demystifies these conventions and questions why games are still codified this way. But even outside of its ambitious themes, it proves to be a compact, perfectly paced RPG experience with hilarious, tense writing and endearing characters. That it succeeds so completely in its thematic approach on top of all that is what makes Undertale a truly essential experience.

Fire Emblem: Awakening completely engaged me while I was playing it, whether I was connecting with its well-written characters or taxing my (limited) intellect as I tried to win a difficult battle while keeping everyone alive. It's hard to ask for much more from a strategy game, but Awakening goes beyond that by supporting its great mechanics with immersion and beautiful art.

The Wii U version is a fantastic addition to the series. The new modes are great, but the excellent mechanics and huge, varied roster make it potentially the best entry in the franchise yet.

Not only does Endwalker offer a satisfying conclusion to one chapter of Final Fantasy XIV, but it creates an amazing foundation for the MMO’s future.

The game evokes an incredible amount of emotion from you, and it is the kind of game that its fans will play over and over.

Xenoblade Chronicles is genuinely fun to play. It's an RPG with an extra-capital G, a gameplay-driven game. That's a sign of real progress from Monolith Soft, and hopefully promise of even better games to come.

This is how you spiff up an older game. What could have been a cynical attempt to double-dip into Nintendo fans’ wallets actually turns out to be the Mario Kart series’ definitive entry. The racing looks and feels just as great as it did on the Wii U, but the addition of battle modes finally makes it feel like a complete package...Add in the new characters and the Wii U DLC content, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a fantastic addition to the Switch’s early library.

Dark Souls II is demonstrative of what all video game sequels should aspire toward. It takes the successful formula of the original, expands it with tons of new content, trims away clunky and confusing gameplay elements, and delivers an experience that is an improvement on all fronts. If this is the kind of trend we can expect from From Software, I truly can’t wait for Dark Souls III.

This game has every reason to grow into something even more special over time. And it’s starting from a position of strength. The game’s appeal is undeniable to a certain kind of person. I’m somewhere between neophyte and sim veteran, and Microsoft Flight Simulator has won me over. It happened when I picked a flight path from a small, grass airfield in Brazil to an airport in Sao Paulo. It feels so good to learn the characteristics of your plane while watching the sunset give away to a purple sheet of stars. And I’m confident that most people will end up feeling the same way if they’re willing to give the game a chance.

I haven’t been this addicted to an online shooter since I was kid spending every day after school capturing flags in Team Fortress Classic (well, trying to capture them, anyway). Overwatch has everything going for it. It’s fun, beautiful, deep, and so far, it’s never boring. You might be overwhelmed at first when you start your first match and have to pick just one of those 21 gorgeous heroes, but you’ll quickly have a blast as you learn each characters’ strengths.

The narrative is a bunch of clichés that had me checking my phone and skipping cutscenes. It’s not all bad. The characters are mostly interesting, and the presentation is well done. I also like that it takes place Christmas time. But that stuff isn’t enough to make up for another lackluster gaming story. It’s a bummer because Bayonetta is so cool, and she deserves the chance to shine in something better.

It is one of the most feature-rich asynchronous multiplayer games I’ve ever played. I love having all of these ways of competing against my friends, and I think the Blueprint events are a smart way to make the game feel more personal and connected. I plan on making at least a few more missions and sending them to all of my friends after Horizon goes live later this month.

We're lucky to live in a world with Shadow of the Colossus.

If I were to score it now, I’d give it a 5/5. But I’m not quite ready to do that. I need to try out a few more realms — especially one that sets my ruler up for an uphill challenge among fierce rivals. At this point, I do feel confident in saying this is the best Crusader Kings release yet. And I hope it just gets better over time.

Despite its many references and callbacks to the 1991 classic, A Link Between Worlds feels fresh. Not only does it feature some of the best dungeons and bosses in the series’ long history, but its stunning use of the system’s 3D effect should make anyone thinking about saving a few bucks by getting a Nintendo 2DS pause and reconsider.

Far Cry 3 executes beautifully on its promises, rolling together a massive open world, excellent stealth, smartly designed RPG elements, and tense gunfights into one smooth whole. The multiplayer fails to distinguish itself in any meaningful way, and a slightly smarter A.I. would've been nice, but those are the only things robbing Ubisoft of an uncontested victory.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is fantastic. It is the best Animal Crossing game ever made.

The quintessential pick-up-and-play party game, especially now that multiplayer has been added. Anyone can "get it" within seconds of grabbing the controller, and the difficulty ramps up much more smoothly than in the original.

The story is enjoyable, with every actor bringing their A-game, and everything is so beautifully animated the sight of New York will make you weep...That being said, there are flaws and shortcomings within the game. It doesn’t improve on areas of the original game that were screaming for an upgrade. It also struggles to deliver a story where not only both Spider-Men but their supporting cast feel equally served, though this is saved somewhat by the excellent performances.

This HD version not only makes everything look sharper than before, but the new additions and features make for an even more enjoyable experience without tarnishing the spirit the original. Simply put, The Wind Waker HD makes one of Nintendo’s greatest games even better.

Will of the Wisps is easily one of the best Metroidvanias ever, and I know that includes company like Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night.

Even if you've never liked a stealth game, you shouldn't miss Mark of the Ninja. It redefines the silent assassin.

Monster Hunter: World is one of the more rewarding action role-playing games I've played in recent years.

Tekken 8 is a robust package that features some of the most satisfying digital fisticuffs I’ve ever seen.

Not only does Endwalker offer a satisfying conclusion to one chapter of Final Fantasy XIV, but it creates an amazing foundation for the MMO’s future. Endwalker will ensure that Final Fantasy XIV’s recent meteoric rise won’t come crashing back down to earth any time soon. Final Fantasy XIV’s prospects are over the moon.

Hearts of Stone is a collection of some of the best quests The Witcher 3 has to offer. Its story is cohesive; its characters are worth meeting; and the thematic diversity is worth seeing.

Resident Evil 2 is going to click with a lot of people, and those folks are going to love it. I still really enjoy it even if it didn’t fully click with me. But my issues with this game are just a matter of taste and not execution. I prefer the Resident Evil 4 style where I have enough ammo to just blast my way out of every situation. But what’s great about Resident Evil 2 is that it’s still a really fun and well-made experience even when it drives someone like me out of their comfort zone. That’s the sign of a strong game.

Borderlands 2 is everything fans of the original could have hoped for. No, it doesn't mess with a formula that already proved itself. Instead it supports the framework for a great role-playing game with a bigger world, while offering more customization options for its players. It's also one of the funnier games you're likely to play this year.

Majora’s Mask is an odd one, but it’s a legendary game from Nintendo’s library, and one that deserves a rerelease. With its graphical improvements and system enhancements, one of the best Zelda games is even better this time around — and that’s really saying something.

Dead Cells is a masterpiece. It is the marriage and apotheosis of decades of Metroidvania design and the surging popularity of difficult Roguelike games. It is exquisite in all ways. It looks phenomenal. It plays like a dream. It makes you want to keep coming back even when you fail.

The success of the Souls series is largely tied to its capability to force players into a cautious, careful mindset. But in Souls 3, the developers appear to be playing things a bit too safe.

You can play a lot of 3D Mario games on your Switch. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is just as good as any of them. It contains makes the Wii U game feel better than you remember, and the bonus campaign makes the package one of the best ports Nintendo has brought to the Switch. It’s reshaped my thoughts on 3D World. This is one of the best Mario games ever made.

I consider myself lucky that I got to play this game. It’s special. If I could go back in time to show a video game to artists from the last century, I would choose this. God, I know that sounds hyperbolic, but I mean it. It is such an effortless and mesmerizing marriage of perfect game design and powerful imagery and audio. And it is an interactive lesson in why those things matter to games.

It's a neat trick for a game to dish out a real challenge without inflicting a lot of stress in the process. This is not something we see very often, and it would be nice if developers could replicate this experience more frequently.

It’s a great example of when you start with a clean slate, improve all of the graphics and game systems, and then wind up with a much better product than the original. This remake of a classic goes to show why video games just get better with the passage of time.

Thanks to Episode 5: No Time Left, I spent nearly three hours sitting at my computer with a knot in my stomach and a few unshed tears in my eyes. It's rare to play a game that moves you emotionally, makes you care about its characters, and causes you to gasp out loud as it shocks and disgusts you.

Fire Emblem continues to be a franchise on the rise, and Three Houses just took the series to another peak.

Dishonored nails the Thief-style gameplay while missing the BioShock-quality story that would've elevated it into something truly special. It'll have to settle for amazingly cool instead. The impressive depth, range, and balance earn this one an easy recommendation despite a few hiccups and one dreary, excessively long level.

The scope of Enemy Unknown is immense, both thematically and mechanically...In these ways, Enemy Unknown is peerless in modern game design.

Inquisition is a Schrodinger’s Goldilocks kind of a game: too big and just right at the same time...The main campaign is more interested in telling you how great you are than letting you prove it, and combat feels designed for a game half this size. It’s not a far fall from grace, by any means, but it’s noticeable — and occasionally grating — in such a long experience. But if you have been working for the Inquisition for that long, hopefully by then you will be too busy discovering and exploring to care that much.

The end result is a video game that looks, sounds, and feels incredible. And it’s one that should appeal to long-time fans and people who are new to skateboarding entirely.

Call it a masterpiece or a work of art. Both apply. I rate the game as five stars out of five.

Destiny finally feels like the big deal that Bungie wanted us to think it was last year.

Like with God of War and Uncharted before, Horizon: Zero Dawn should be the start of another PlayStation iconic franchise. It offers a gorgeous and interesting world rich with adventure (including plenty of giant robots to kill). While it borrows heavily from the likes of Far Cry, it’s a more interesting and less repetitive effort than we’ve seen from that series. The presentation suffers a few hiccups, but it’s mostly a beautiful game. It’s also a long one. Horizon will keep you busy for a good chunk of time with its multitude of side-quests and extra activities. This is one of the PlayStation 4’s most interesting exclusives.

Nothing’s wrong with paying a high price to gild the lily — but nothing’s wrong with not wanting to do so, either. I think The Last of Us Part 1 will make a great addition to the casual TLOU fan’s library when it inevitably goes on sale and maybe the PC players when it launches on that platform as well.

I’ve spent around 50 hours playing between the console and PC versions, and I don’t feel like I’m anywhere near quitting...And that’s what we want from Fallout, right? A world we can dive into completely and spend days exploring. Well, if that’s what you come to Bethesda products for, you’re going to get it here.

Any gamer who’s a fan of puzzle games, brain teasers or adventure games will enjoy Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, especially if they’re not afraid to pull out a notebook and get writing while playing. It’s a fantastic story wrapped in a solid foundation of gameplay, and what few drawbacks there are don’t take away from the experience in any way that matters. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a game that’ll challenge and reward you equally, and it’s one of the best overall experiences I’ve had in 2024 so far.

I’m definitely having more fun with this than any From Software game up to this point. And I’m going to try to keep letting it win me over. Hopefully, I’ll return to this review a full convert...For now, however, I’m confident that people who like Soulsborne games are going to find a lot to love.

Mario Kart is typically the best racer for most people. That’s no different with Mario Kart 8. Nintendo has combined its classic gameplay (finely tuned as ever) with beautiful visuals, and the result is something that I love playing — and so will most people.

It has put unparalleled craft and care into every element of this game because it loves Mario as much as we do. And that propels this game into a whole other realm of greatness.

Ubisoft Montpellier has created one of the best Metroidvanias ever, one that can stand up to the legacy of the genre founders and the modern masterpieces.

I struggle to think of another co-op puzzle game that's better. Maybe Portal 2? Even if that's true, It Takes Two belongs on that same tier.

Even though the PS3 and Xbox 360 aren’t equipped to give you the best ACIV experience, the core adventure here is more than good enough for fans who won’t be burying their current-gen consoles any time soon.

I love Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart because it is a fun and beautiful adventure. It's not about setting you loose to stumble across objectives and side activities across an open-world map. And I love those kinds of games.

Old school gamers will love Shovel Knight’s retro sensibilities, but they’ll also appreciate its modern touches.

While two big draws are definitely the affordable price and flexible multiplayer options, the game also earns its place among the other top action-RPGS of the year. It's well made and fun, just not revolutionary.

Anyone who digs these kinds of dense, map-based open world experiences is going to feel happy with what Guerrilla Games is offering here.

Fire Emblem: Fates is a fantastic turn-based strategy game. If you’re worried about the multiple versions, you don’t need to be. You’ll get a full experience with a single campaign, but it’s great to know that you can keep going and discover new content long after beating a single path.

X and Y may not surprise you, but Pokéfans will still revel in another chance to catch them all.

Deathloop is one of the best games of the year — at least from what I’ve played so far. And I say that as someone who has previously recognized the quality of Arkane games while struggling to enjoy them. But with this game, French team Arkane Lyon used some smart tricks to amplify its strengths. And the result is a special experience that has broader appeal than some other Arkane projects.

I loved every second of Ori and the Blind Forest. It’s as fun as it is pretty, which is an incredible achievement when its one of the most gorgeous games I’ve ever seen.

It’s easy to learn, easy to get into matches and play, and it’s fun. It’s led me to check out other digital card games — and I’m again surprised at how much I enjoy these.

Its playability matched with MercurySteam doing right by Samus Aran has turned me into even more of a fan of Metroid. Even beyond the context of my own affinity toward the character and world, Metroid Dread is some of the most fun I’ve had with a game in 2021. It’s a contender for game of the year.

Having someone to share Mario Maker with is like having a pen pal. You make something for them, send it to them, and then you wait to hear what they think about it. Maybe they make something for you, or maybe you build something new based on their feedback to challenge them even more next time.

Much to my surprise, I like Monster Hunter Rise for Switch even more than World.

Diablo III on the Switch is my new favorite way to play the game.

The light swipes of the controls can take a gentle touch, and you’ll definitely want to just buy the unlimited credits rather than put up with the freemium annoyances. It won’t entertain you for day-long stints. But if you like Pac-Man, this version is a must for your phone.

Being able to use my fingers to manage items onscreen in both story and creation environments is a significant upgrade in the playability of the title.

FIFA 13 is irritating and painful yet wonderful and nuanced, just like the sport it so painstakingly emulates.

Legion is the best work ever done on WoW, and I say that as someone who remembers the original development process from alpha to the launch of the original “vanilla” box. I’m not known for giving high review scores. Legion earns one.

It’s at its best when you’re in these conversations, making choices like you’re in a Choose Your Own Adventure novel, drinking in the results and reckoning with each decision you make.Even when you’re mocking the gods.