Not only the best in the series, but it also manages to be the best car combat game ever created and one of the best PlayStation 2 games currently available.

Simply a smart game, bursting with great touches.

It's an extremely well-made game that offers a lot of fun to the player, but these few factors cause it to score right outside the class of "Super Mario 64" and "Banjo-Kazooie," so it only gets very, very high marks, instead of outrageously high marks.

What's amazing is that, despite how different each hero is, they clash, interact, and cooperate in compelling matches.

This is the definitive version of a modern classic and a must-play, even if you've already experienced the unique thrill of Resident Evil 4 on another platform.

The game's fighting and pacing are in stark contrast to those of typical action games, but with a little patience and a taste for high-concept adventure, you'll find an experience here that's unlike any other.

With Forza Horizon 3, Turn 10 and Playground Games affirm the series’ status as the driving game for everyone The new emphasis on off-road options isn’t at the expense of traditional races, thanks to the sheer volume of activities. All the while, Playground Games’ calculated kitchen-sink design philosophy and rich reward system persistently tempt you to explore beyond your comfort zone, whether it’s gifting your first Ariel Nomad buggy or reminding you that stunt races can impress thousands of fans. Enhancing your own brand might feel like a strange motivation to hit the road, but pulling off sick e-drifts on a mile-long series of curves makes the PR work worthwhile.

Borderlands 2 doesn't reach far beyond its predecessor's scope, but it does do almost everything better. Additions, refinements, and fixes all combine to create an appreciably improved experience, one that fully delivers on the promise of the first game.

While it was already a fantastic package on the outset, this new update makes it even better than before. If you missed Sonic Mania the first time around, now is the perfect time to catch up.

In some ways it's even better than the original version. In most ways, though, it's exactly the same.

A college football fan's dream. There are so many different features in the game, and the dynasty mode is so deep, that it's almost overwhelming.

Kentucky Route Zero is not, in any sense, a typical adventure game. It's an incredible one.

Dead Cells is a fascinating amalgam of several of today's most popular indie genres.

Crysis is visually stunning, packed with intelligent, thrilling gameplay, and easily one of the greatest shooters ever made.

One of the best, most challenging action adventure games ever made. Not only does Ninja Gaiden feature bleeding-edge graphics and sound, it boasts simply the best pure action ever seen in such a game.

Although it feels a bit like God of War: Lite, Chains of Olympus delivers a great, combat-heavy adventure with excellent production values.

Equal parts redemption, vengeance, cruelty, and sassy Elezen, Shadowbringers promises a hell of a lot when you take your first steps into Norvrandt and delivers a truly spectacular finish even if it stumbles a little along the way.

Looks simply amazing. The animation is smooth, but the character models are what really stand out.

World of Warcraft has never been better, and while you don't need the expansion pack to continue playing, it's hard not to feel like you're missing out in Azeroth without it.

MLB 10: The Show may still be the best overall baseball game out there, but it's in a holding pattern this year and has some serious problems with online play.

Shadow of the Colossus is a tremendous journey, and one well worth taking and retaking. The visual overhaul is stunning, thoroughly enhancing every facet of Wander and Agro's excellent adventure. Galloping through the tranquil world is always breathtaking; felling a monumental colossus is always humbling. Shadow of the Colossus is a beautiful reconstruction of an already exceptional title. It continues to be a modern classic and is an extraordinary game that everyone must experience.

The game's truly inspired visuals are matched only by its consistently fun gameplay.

It may not be the best-looking PC game available, but Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 has a solid look and a level of replay value that's unmatched by any game of its type.

One of the best adventure games in years.

The designers have done a commendable job of creating an immersive environment and have come up with what is arguably the best single-player first-person shooter since "Doom."

Certainly more straight-up fun than any version of "Links," and it is more involving than last year's Tiger 2004.

While "Madden" is the most realistic-playing football game on the market, ESPN NFL Football is simply the most exciting football game on the planet.

Undeniably a great college football game.

Killzone 2 is an exceptional first-person shooter, not because it does anything particularly new, but because it does everything extraordinarily well. There's certainly no doubting its graphical superiority, but though its moody visuals invite incessant superlatives, it's the tight, electric action that will make this an off- and online haven.

Though its deep roots may not win over those who haven't enjoyed previous games in the series, Halo: Reach is a towering achievement that delivers an enormous amount of engaging content that players will no doubt be enjoying for years to come.

The new features in Dark Avatar elevate the already superb Galactic Civilizations II to the title of undisputed best turn-based space strategy game on the PC.

It's surprising that so many small annoyances and glitches made their way into a game of such general high quality. Still, most players will be able to look past them and enjoy Mass Effect for what it is: A terrific role-playing game with great production values and fun, exciting action.

Everything about this game--the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, fiendish puzzles, hard-hitting combat--feels like it has been lovingly crafted by a development team that's both knowledgeable and passionate about the source material. Miss out on this one and the joke's on you.

A first-person shooter has finally arrived that's so stylish, so ingenious, so well written, so well acted, and otherwise so great that this review won't have to include the expression "it's no Half-Life" - except for right there.

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Like a new car, Forza Motorsport 4 doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does refine and improve upon what came before it. Tat's no small achievement given how truly special Forza 3 was.

The (thankfully) isolated cinematic sequences showing the interactions of the S.T.A.R.S. team members... are filled to the vomit-line with some of the most hokey, badly-translated, drama-killing, god-awful voice acting ever burned onto a disc. Oh well.

In a sense, Crusader Kings 3 is all over the place. It doesn't always work perfectly, and at times it really makes you work for it, but there's something amazing in that any of it works at all. Strategy games can tell interesting stories as their empires rise and fall, but their procedural narratives are rarely as affecting and poignant as they are here.

A thrilling testament to how great PC gaming can be. It packs unmatched gameplay, impressive visuals, and endless replayability in one exquisite package. And it's, by far, the most fun that we've had with a PC game this year.

In many ways, Madden 2005 is just a bit too much like last year's Madden for comfort--but it's still a truly excellent game of football all around.

The GameCube version may be less jaggy than the original PS2 release, but its lack of online multiplayer and somewhat sketchy frame rate keep it from living up to its full potential.

Robust and challenging single-player modes, strong online multiplayer, and gorgeous visuals make this a must-have for any fighter fan.

In fact, Fallout 3 is leaner and meaner than Bethesda's previous efforts, less expansive but more intense, while still offering immense replay value and quite a few thrills along the way.

Batman: Arkham City's irresistible world, joyous movement, rewarding combat, and varied side quests make it an exceptional adventure game.

It's clearly the best traditional computer role-playing game of the year and is bound to be an all-time favorite for many of its inevitable fans.

From the taut Versus competition to the two great cooperative modes, Gears of War 3 delivers immensely entertaining experiences on both sides of The Locust War. But the real triumph is the campaign, a masterpiece of exciting gameplay and emotional storytelling that stands head and shoulders above its predecessors.

Simply put, once you get into Neverwinter Nights, you'll likely have no need or desire to play another role-playing game for a long time--or any other game for that matter.

Regardless of whether you're getting sucked into the Story mode or competing for high scores in the Challenge mode, Batman: Arkham Asylum does an outstanding job of letting you be Batman. Everything about this game--the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, fiendish puzzles, hard-hitting combat--feels like it has been lovingly crafted by a development team that's both knowledgeable and passionate about the source material.

It improves on almost everything that worked well in the first game, and it also fixes that game's problems...a rousing success on every level.

Just a really great action game in the same vein as classics like "Symphony of the Night" and "Super Metroid" before it, and it stands tall among the GBA's best action games, including "Circle of the Moon" and last year's "Metroid Fusion."

This is a beautiful, haunting, and memorable game, a worthy follow-up to Limbo. Its puzzles, although rarely difficult, are engaging complements to the story. The real achievement of this game, though, is the way that it crafts its narrative: detailed environments convey the bizarre world that you travel through; introspective moments are filled with minimalist sound design and just the barest touches of music; and the things you must do to complete your journey force you to confront the realities of humanity, freedom, and existence.

A bit on the easy side. The platform-jumping sections aren't too tough, the puzzles not too complex, and the bosses fairly simple to beat.

Incredible storytelling, great characters, and exciting battles are just a few of the things that make this fantasy role-playing game so extraordinary.

Featuring some of the best graphics seen on the system, a rich quest, and classic RPG gameplay, Golden Sun is a throwback to some of the SNES' best.

There's so much to love about Hollow Knight: Silksong, especially if you were a fan of the first game. This sequel better focuses the narrative with guided exploration and eases the frustrations with the first game's platforming by making the protagonist far more acrobatic. In many respects, that makes it a safe sequel, as much of the game is merely a more polished, approachable, and fulfilling take on what worked well before. But that first game is one of the best metroidvania titles out there, making this sequel equally essential. Hornet's story is more than worth the wait.

Fueled by smooth platforming, striking visuals, wacky situations, and infectious beats, Rayman Legends is a nifty platformer that exudes unabashed delight.

When you factor in the voice talent involved, the visual splendor on offer, and the sheer scale of the whole game, it really feels like Clair Obscur is punching above its weight, considering the comparatively small size of the team at Sandfall. This is a supremely confident game that reinterprets familiar mechanics with an imaginative eye. Its combat is a consistent delight, delivering thrills with thoughtful strategy and reactive action in equal measure, complementing a heartfelt story of shared grief and camaraderie. There are minor pitfalls in relation to its narrow exploration and some quality-of-life issues, but these missteps aren't enough to significantly detract from a game with all the makings of an RPG classic.

Disco Elysium is a mad, sprawling detective story where the real case you've got to crack isn't who killed the man strung up on a tree in the middle of town--though that in itself, replete with dozens of unexpected yet intertwined mysteries and wild excursions into the ridiculous, is engrossing enough to sustain the game. Rather, it’s an investigation of ideas, of the way we think, of power and privilege, and of how all of us are shaped, with varying degrees of autonomy, by the society we find ourselves in.

KCET's best soccer game to date, which basically makes it the best soccer game ever made.

I'm not normally one for 3D, but I wouldn't play A Link Between Worlds any other way.

Picks up where "Symphony of the Night" left off and stands out as one of the best portable adventures ever created.

Though Resident Evil 2 has its roots firmly in the past, it reworks the familiar horrors into something that feels brand new and all its own.

As part of the launch line-up for the Switch 2, [Donkey Kong Bananza] nicely fills the gap for one of Nintendo's signature substantial single-player adventures. But more importantly, it's an excellent game in its own right, and deserves to be mentioned alongside games like Mario Odyssey as among Nintendo's best recent work.

This is an ambitious and finely tuned adventure that gets better and better as you play.

I may not have yet unveiled all there is to know about this beastly game, even after 80 hours of play, but I do know this: I will be adventuring through Drangleic for many months to come, sure to be haunted nightly by the disturbing gazes of the faceless titans that tenderize my flesh with their two-ton hammers.

An all-around excellent game that confidently challenges, head-on, all the other WWII-themed shooters out there and comes out on top.

One of best football games to date. Madden NFL 2004 covers nearly every facet of professional football, but what makes this year's entry in the series so special is that it ties all its components together seamlessly.

Mario Kart DS represents a significant step forward for Nintendo's much-loved racing series, and not only because it's the first to feature online play.

Easily the best Crash yet. Every aspect of the game is better: new moves, levels, bosses, graphics, sound, and gameplay. It's the most fun I've had with a 3D platform game in a long, long time.

There are two kinds of video-game fans who play golf games: the kind who play hard-core golf simulations and the kind who play everything else. Mario Golf is, amazingly, the kind of golf game that could appeal to both. Anyone who would turn a blind eye to Mario Golf because of its exterior qualities will be missing perhaps the best golf game on a console.

Just as you might improperly dismiss Flower as "not a game," you might also improperly dismiss it for its brevity: You could easily finish in an hour, and that hour progresses at a relaxed pace, lulling you into security rather than pumping adrenaline into your nerves. But value is more than a simple price-to-minutes ratio, and I'd sooner revisit Flower's serenity than countless 50-hour grindfests.

Assassin's Creed II is what you'd want an action sequel to be: bigger, better, and more beautiful.

Balatro ticks all the boxes for a roguelite that creates a feedback loop that's difficult to draw yourself away from. Its fundamentals are incredibly easy to understand, even if you're unfamiliar with poker, but the ways in which it works within the game's boundaries (and often breaks free from them) injects a level of depth to each hand to play that's both challenging and rewarding to continually engage with. It's a game that will melt away time as you hit play on one run after the next, with each defeat never stinging long enough to dissuade the possibility of victory on the next. While a handful of boss antes annoyingly end runs prematurely, they're nowhere near detrimental enough to take away from the immensely satisfying balance that Balatro strikes in every other aspect.

This is a game that's chock full of pleasant surprises, from the way its items forgo tradition in interesting ways to the visual design and sense of atmosphere generated by its bizarre, neon-soaked world. Animal Well might look antiquated and familiar at first glance, but this well is cavernous and unpredictable.

An excellent racing game overall and boasts such a sheer quantity of features and options that most other racing games simply cannot compare. On top of that, solid gameplay and a diverse, flat-out terrific selection of cars help give PGR 2 plenty of long-term appeal.

More vintage players, small gameplay tweaks, and the same great presentation you expect make this the best NBA game around.

New Horizons has a slower pace even than other Animal Crossing games, and at times, that can feel unnecessarily restrictive. But there's still plenty to do, and each of those activities feeds into the next brilliantly for a rewarding and relentlessly cheerful experience. New Horizons certainly came at the right time, and its strengths are particularly comforting right now. I'm as excited to see what random events await me each morning as I am glad to have it during hard times, and that's sure to keep me coming back for the foreseeable future.

Yes, it introduces plenty of new features that enhance the gameplay that was so popular in the original game, but it doesn't drastically refresh it. It also features plenty of options to play with, but it seems like it could've used even more content.

For a story that starts with a laser focus on your character's motivations and misgivings, it tells a tale that ends up being the biggest and the best that Final Fantasy XIV has ever told. Equal parts redemption, vengeance, cruelty, and sassy Elezen, Shadowbringers promises a hell of a lot when you take your first steps into Norvrandt and delivers a truly spectacular finish even if it stumbles a little along the way.

Cataclysm doesn't improve World of Warcraft as dramatically as the free update that preceded it did, but it's still a great expansion pack for anyone with high-level characters.

A bit underwhelming. Yes, it's a fairly solid translation of one of the better first-person shooters of recent years, but it also lacks the extensive multiplayer and mod-making features of its PC cousin.

The rivalry games are incredibly entertaining, and the dynasty mode adds a tremendous amount of replay value to an already great game.

From waterskiing, to swimming alongside a whale, to riding a rocket-powered horse, to flying a flaming powder keg, Rayman 2 is full of gameplay surprises. Definitely one of the best platform games I have ever played.

Bayonetta is simultaneously gratuitous, ludicrous, and marvelous, but that's precisely why it's such a wild and fun adventure.

Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition feels like the happy conclusion of a two-year public beta, with the initial purchasers on PC bearing much of the grief with the auction house and the slow pace to reach level 60.

Overwatch's strongest aspect is how it manages to constantly teach you something new. Each match reveals another detail you might have previously ignored--the audio cue that signals McCree's lethal Deadeye attack; the sound a stalwart Bastion makes when entering its dangerous turret form. Playing Overwatch is a digging process, and finding new layers is part of what makes it special. It's not impressive that Overwatch tries so many different things--it's outstanding that it succeeds in every attempt.

This is an ambitious and finely tuned adventure that gets better and better as you play.

The game is undoubtedly driven by its smartly crafted aesthetic mood, though its production never compromises the gameplay it provides.

Advanced Warfighter is the best-looking game to date on the Xbox 360, and it offers exceptional tactical shooting action to back up those great visuals.

FIFA 12 is the definitive football game: challenging, addictive, and with more excellent features than ever before.

Innovative, addictive, and delightfully weird, World of Goo is a superb puzzle game.

A fun and engaging spin on the traditional action RPG experience that blends equal doses of impressive technology, innovation, and humor.

While the classic Tony Hawk gameplay is present, and still fantastic after all this time, the new story mode doesn't make as dramatic of a change as it probably could have.

One of the best 3D platformers to date, brimming with innovation, originality and fun.

The game isn't terribly long, but the thrill of making your way through the levels makes the game seem longer than it really is.

Like its predecessor, it isn't the most balanced game in the world, but that doesn't keep it from being a great deal of fun.

The thrilling rides and engrossing competitions return along with robust improvements in Trials Evolution.

FIFA 12 is the definitive football game: challenging, addictive, and with more excellent features than ever before.