For the average player, this expansion has a much longer tail than previous iterations of Destiny 2. The variety and flexibility of activities established in the base game still work to make grinding a good time, and Gambit adds a consistently entertaining mode to the roster. The endgame, while difficult to reach, is also where the most satisfaction can be found.

his care and attention to detail extends to the environments, which feel genuine and lived-in.

Painting the town red, blue, or any other color is a lot of fun in this charming Wii platformer.

While the PlayStation 4 version had its hiccups with getting the squad together, those aren’t present at all in the PC version, which makes the most of its integration with Steam to get you playing together in under a couple of minutes. It's refreshingly simple compared to laboriously typing out a string of numbers, or fiddling with the PlayStation 4’s subpar native interface.

While an uninspired story and intrusive dialogue displays hold the game back from reaching its potential, what's here remains incredibly satisfying and worthwhile.

It might be short, but I enjoyed almost every minute of my time with CounterSpy. The movement and gunplay are smooth and responsive, and the lovingly crafted presentation remains stunning throughout. This is a stealth game that makes you feel as silent as you are deadly, and is wonderfully, wholly refreshing.

Whether you're bumbling your way to the top or playing all your cards right, Armello makes regicide ridiculously entertaining.

It would be nice to see some more extensive options for those wanting to play by themselves or in non-competitive settings, but beyond that, Artifact is a great showing.

Saints Row 2 is crass, immature, and really fun.

That's one giant leap for a franchise; one small step for a genre.

It's best to consider 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil as a less serious, more accessible accompaniment to the main FIFA series. Focused more on giving you a good time than on advancing the quest for realism in sports games, this is a football game that's perfect for fans who are looking for a way to pass the hours between World Cup matches this summer.

The dungeons themselves are varied in that some incorporate puzzles, some require the designated tank of the party to take control while leading the boss away from more vulnerable players, and many are middle-of-the-road affairs you can conquer with little more than your best spells, buffs, and melee.

It's not often that a game invades my thoughts the way Control has. I'm at the point where I want to consume every last thing it has to offer. And if I'm honest, it also makes me want to go back and replay Remedy's past games, too. Sure, it's a faulty metroidvania in some respects, but there are so many exceptional qualities afoot that Control handily deflects any momentary ire. I can't wait to take part in discussions about the game, to see what others have figured out, and to better understand where it all fits into Jesse's story.

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is almost exactly what I was expecting from a Yoko Taro-led card-based RPG. That is primarily a compliment, as it still managed to take some odd turns and retained the somber, melancholy aesthetic of his past projects without sacrificing humor. Somehow, the games' all-card structure actually works within the confines of a traditional role-playing game, and it does it with so little fat that it never overstays its welcome. It also sacrifices some of the more jaw-dropping moments I want in a Taro game--what I expect most from him is the unexpected, and it's why Nier: Automata 2 is such a bad idea. But failing to make my eyes fill with tears as I contemplated the nature of my existence and the necessity of hope a second time isn't exactly striking out on three pitches.

It's certainly a bold undertaking that delves into some philosophical and science-fiction territory that most games wouldn't dare touch, and though it may not be a superior game to its predecessor, on its own merits it's a great and original experience that's well worthwhile.

Ghostwire: Tokyo doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to open-world games, but its unique setting, tremendous attention to detail, and singular combat make it stand out amongst its contemporaries. The story stumbles and not all of the side missions are particularly engaging, yet these aspects are easy to push to the back of your mind when you're using finger guns to tear through corrupted spirits with dazzling aplomb. Shinji Mikami is a legendary director, but taking a backseat and letting new voices come to the fore has paid off.

Picross DS is a high-quality collection of logic puzzles at a terrific bargain price.

It stands as proof that all it takes to make a fantastic game, even with today's available technology, is a solid set of core gameplay mechanics with inherent depth.

Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider is a solid, inventive, yet somewhat subdued capper to the stories from the previous Dishonored games. While the smaller scope can be felt throughout, the approach to allowing players to express themselves as a master assassin is just as strong as ever. It's uncertain where the series can go from here, but this stand-alone release proves that Dishonored is still a remarkably designed stealth-action game with much potential, that offers players the chance to be creative in ways they'd least expect.

Mario's various dalliances into sports have been inconsistent, often because they feel so bare-bones and perfunctory. Mario Tennis Fever breaks this trend with a multitude of modes and a playful, flexible gimmick that makes it more wild and unpredictable while also testing your tennis skills in a new way. It's the best a Mario sports game has been in years, and hopefully charts a course going forward for the Mushroom Kingdom's other sporting events.

The highs are high enough. Its story is a fun Batman romp that would work as a solid comic book arc, even if it can't touch Rocksteady's mainline saga. Moreover, it's by capturing the full spectrum of Arkham's still-exciting gameplay mechanics so effectively that Shadow becomes a must-play game for Batman fans, and a revealing measuring stick of how much virtual reality has advanced in just a few years. This isn't the first Batman Arkham game made for VR, but it's undoubtedly the first to feel like it belongs with the rest of the series.

Subtle refinements and a great campaign boost WWE '13.

Grid is a classy arcade racing game, providing enough depth and variety to satisfy any fan of the genre.

It's a hard game to stomach, in part because so much of who Ellie is and what she does is beyond your control. She is deeply complicated and flawed, and her selfishness hurts a lot of people. At times, the pain you inflict feels so senseless that it can leave you numb. It's all messy and bleak and made me profoundly sad for myriad reasons, but the more I reflect on it, the more I appreciate the story and characters at its core. I wanted almost none of it to happen the way it did, and that's what's both beautiful and devastating about it.

Rich environments and diverse abilities fuel the accessible tactical depth that makes Shadow Wars a winner.

Thankfully, what Final Fantasy Rebirth succeeds at eclipses what it fumbles. It's a superbly designed gameplay experience that instills a sense of freedom while also making exploration rewarding in a meaningful way. Refined gameplay that makes character synergy a focal point breathes new life into the slick and satisfying combat, and all the while it reinforces the underlying themes of the story. As a game that has the unenviable task of living up to one of the strongest legacies in the medium, it is a worthy second chapter. Whether Square Enix can bring it all together in the third and final part will be the subject of much discussion from here on out. Just like at Destiny's Crossroads, an unknown future beckons once again, and anything is still possible.

More so than its predecessors, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order excels because of its character diversity and the ways its disparate heroes work together. For this reason alone it's an ideal co-op game, whether you're playing with another friend in the same room or with three friends online, but the AI more than holds its own if you're playing alone, too. It falters in places, but there's still nothing quite like the Ultimate Alliance series, and this long-awaited third entry makes it a triumphant return for a superhero brawler that feels more relevant than ever.

Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider is a solid, inventive, yet somewhat subdued capper to the stories from the previous Dishonored games. While the smaller scope can be felt throughout, the approach to allowing players to express themselves as a master assassin is just as strong as ever. It's uncertain where the series can go from here, but this stand-alone release proves that Dishonored is still a remarkably designed stealth-action game with much potential, that offers players the chance to be creative in ways they'd least expect.

This new frontier in rhythm gaming is electrifyingly fun, but the cover charge is steep.

Torchlight is a great dungeon crawler with enjoyable combat and an excellent loot system.

Fable: The Journey makes excellent use of the Kinect.

Mask of the Betrayer offers up a deeper, darker, and ultimately more satisfying role-playing experience than Neverwinter Nights 2.

What makes Human Revolution on the Wii U special aren't the additional features, but that which was already constructed. The game draws remarkable contrast between the sterility of the corporate world and the grit of the city.

Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider is a solid, inventive, yet somewhat subdued capper to the stories from the previous Dishonored games. While the smaller scope can be felt throughout, the approach to allowing players to express themselves as a master assassin is just as strong as ever. It's uncertain where the series can go from here, but this stand-alone release proves that Dishonored is still a remarkably designed stealth-action game with much potential, that offers players the chance to be creative in ways they'd least expect.

LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias vastly improves upon its predecessor with clever puzzles and vibrant graphics.

The art is stunning, the atmosphere fascinating, and the puzzles are incredibly devious and clever. Gorogoa might not be a long game, but it is easily one of the most engaging puzzle games in recent memory.

Nanostray 2 is a dyed-in-the-wool shoot-'em-up that offers great action in a shiny, proficient package.

These issues, especially due to their persistence year after year, do hinder NBA 2K23 from being historically great, but for annual players who have gotten used to these problems, they'll likely sting less. What remains after you forgive (or just try to forget) those issues is undoubtedly still an exceptional basketball game made with an intense attention to detail and a love of the game. On the court, NBA 2K23 looks and feels lifelike and exciting in every drive, and the new and revamped modes treat the NBA like a revered historical monument. In those important ways it does its best to reflect Jordan's greatness and shows both NBA newcomers and historians what it's like to play like Mike.

It's best to consider 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil as a less serious, more accessible accompaniment to the main FIFA series. Focused more on giving you a good time than on advancing the quest for realism in sports games, this is a football game that's perfect for fans who are looking for a way to pass the hours between World Cup matches this summer.

Air Traffic Chaos has all of the fun of controlling the friendly skies, without any of the gruesome consequences and desperate thoughts of suicide.

When Mothergunship is firing on all cylinders, it's a satisfying and thrilling shooter where it really counts. With an incredibly fun and never uninteresting gun-crafting mechanic, it certainly goes a long way with its clever hook and an endless flow of enemies to gun down.

I do still have fun in The City thanks to its ever-cycling limited-time events, casual and competitive game modes, and vibe as a landing spot for basketball fanatics to congregate and have fun together. Knowing this virtual city is also where the game's most obvious issue has become an annual pain makes my experience a bit more conflicted than it should be. Is NBA 2K26 an excellent basketball video game? Absolutely, it is. Does it suffer from a pay-to-win problem in some areas? Absolutely, it does. Thankfully, The City, MyCareer, MyNBA, and its WNBA modes combine to overcome that glaring problem and still make this a game well worth playing in a number of different ways. I liken it to my home of Portland, Oregon, home of the Trail Blazers. The cost of living is burdensome and ought to be addressed, but dammit if I'm not compelled to make it work because, despite its faults, I love it here.

There's a reason this space is so dreamily built--Solar Ash takes place inside a massive black hole, after all--but the game is at its best when it isn't treating those reasons as if they matter all that much. The late game leans a little too heavily into the story, including swapping out the strong boss battles in favor of a binary choice in the game's climactic moments. But, most of the time, that story is where it belongs: in the background. And, thankfully, Solar Ash has some gorgeous backgrounds.

Even though Minion Quest falters, it's still an optional outing that doesn't detract from what's fundamentally an excellent adventure. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga has aged astonishingly well, and the various improvements offered in this remake only serve to make an already great game even better. Whether you're a series veteran or visiting the Beanbean Kingdom for the very first time, there's no better way to experience this classic RPG.

Its enigmatic visuals, choice-driven narrative, and provocations on morality are the driving forces that warrant multiple playthroughs, and all of those aforementioned elements combine to make Here They Lie one of the standout offerings among the PSVR's launch lineup.

Any good bedtime story that makes you want to hear it again right after it’s over is one for the ages.

It's still a relatively simple and short action game at heart, but a solid combat system, some extremely intense and cinematic levels, cool extras that fans of the movies will enjoy, and the option to play cooperatively with a friend all add up to make The Return of the King deserving of its name.

The art is stunning, the atmosphere fascinating, and the puzzles are incredibly devious and clever. Gorogoa might not be a long game, but it is easily one of the most engaging puzzle games in recent memory.

Nintendo Land isn't just a fine showcase of the Wii U's capabilities, though it certainly is that. It's also a great game in its own right.

Rise and Fall works so well with the base game that lingering issues are minor. It enhances, rather than overcomplicates, systems that were already deep and layered to begin with, while introducing features that keep each game engaging from start to finish. Ages in particular provide room for struggling civs to climb the ranks in the late game and keep leading civs on their toes, and the Governor and Loyalty systems add to the city-specific strategies that helped make the base game great.

This is a game all about making your business pop off and maybe befriending a colorful critter or two along the way. I would have liked to discover that the spookier narrative elements amount to something more, but the enjoyable management sim that I found instead kept me pleasantly entertained for hours, offering plenty of creative challenges for me to puzzle my way through, all in the name of making the cutest set of bed and breakfasts there's ever been.

The authentic Men of War: Assault Squad packs plenty of challenge for real-time strategy enthusiasts.

Bloody, brutal, and hard to put down.

With the game's clever gun crafting system added into the mix, familiar tropes and techniques from classic shooting galleries feel super-charged in the game's randomized bullet-hell dungeons.

There's a reason this space is so dreamily built--Solar Ash takes place inside a massive black hole, after all--but the game is at its best when it isn't treating those reasons as if they matter all that much. The late game leans a little too heavily into the story, including swapping out the strong boss battles in favor of a binary choice in the game's climactic moments. But, most of the time, that story is where it belongs: in the background. And, thankfully, Solar Ash has some gorgeous backgrounds.

Flawed and iterative, but comforting, complete, and compelling, FIFA 20 is as frustrating and as essential as ever. The Journey and FIFA Street will continue to be missed, but Volta offers a genuinely different option for those who want to dip in and out across FIFA's smorgasboard of game types, while Ultimate Team continues its route to world domination. It's just a shame Career Mode continues to stagnate--even if EA has finally remembered it exists.

For all that Endwalker suffers from pacing issues and the sheer amount of plot lines it lobs at us, an earnestness carries the entire story. Endwalker is jubilant in its sincerity, and tender in the way it treats life and death, mankinds' inevitable failing and flaws. It doesn't shy away from grand proclamations that would come across as cheesy if it was any other game, with any other cast of characters. But because it's FFXIV and because the Scions are people who accompanied us through Ala Mhigo's revolution, averting the apocalypse on the First, and much more, Endwalker's loud and bold demands for hope, light, and love fall more on the endearing side rather than hamfisted sentimentality. Endwalker is a fitting, emotional conclusion to a years-long journey for us adventurers, and I can't wait to see what's next.

Whether or not you're an old-school Mystery Dungeon aficionado or a total newcomer to the long-derelict spin-off series doesn't necessarily matter: Mystery Dungeon on Switch improves upon the originals with some valuable quality-of-life tweaks, making it a worthwhile play regardless of your familiarity with the series. It features a distinct combat system that provides an intriguing alternative to the mainline Pokemon formula with tile-based strategizing, humanizes the Pokemon you've fallen in love with over the years, tells a riveting and emotional story that will make you view the franchise in a totally different light, and does so with a stylish suite of visuals and music.

As Metro broadens its horizons, it loses some of the series' focus. But Exodus makes up for it with thrilling encounters and a crew you'll want to follow to the ends of the earth.

A host of gameplay tweaks counterbalance some neglected modes in the latest iteration of EA Sports' college football sim.

When Mothergunship is firing on all cylinders, it's a satisfying and thrilling shooter where it really counts. With an incredibly fun and never uninteresting gun-crafting mechanic, it certainly goes a long way with its clever hook and an endless flow of enemies to gun down.

The success of Tomb Raider: Anniversary is twofold; it does well by the memory of the original Tomb Raider, and also makes a dynamic action adventure game that's fun to play in 2007.

This exceptionally balanced tower defense game will keep you coming back to fight off the alien invasion for just one more wave.

Phoenix Point has plenty of bold new ideas for the XCOM genre, but not all of them have the same level of shine. It can feel a bit unwieldy at times, a bit less user-friendly than you'd hope. But it's a game that feels more concerned with experimentation than perfection, that's more interested in discovering new paths to take than walking one that's already well-trodden.

It's classic arcade action imbued with hard-hitting artistic and gameplay elements. Falling in love with Resogun is easy, and mastering it is challenging, and the combination of these two qualities makes Resogun almost impossible to put down.

Beyond the challenge of combat, Battle Chasers is sustained through the strength of its story, a rollicking tale that takes our heroes literally to hell and back.

Bloody, brutal, and hard to put down.

An alternative to the blueprint for strategy role-playing games, Yggdra Union is strange, complicated, interesting, and charming.

Armello picks and chooses a variety of elements from board, card, 4X, and role-playing games without demanding either a familiarity with or a fondness for any genre. It also leaves a lot of room to engage as deeply as you want with the game's guts without feeling like you're floundering if you don't. Whether you're bumbling your way to the top or playing all your cards right, Armello makes regicide ridiculously entertaining.

The versatile magnet gun marries beautifully with the series' signature destructibility to make Red Faction: Armageddon an exciting and explosive shooter.

Crow Country pays homage to a golden era of survivor horror without relying on simple mimicry. It's simultaneously familiar and yet unfamiliar, touching on tropes and genre trappings while utilizing modern techniques to enhance the experience and make it more approachable for newcomers. It's not a particularly challenging game, and combat is dull and unwieldy, but this aspect of the game is easy enough to ignore, especially when there's an enticing theme park full of secrets and rewarding puzzles to delve into. The story is also surprisingly rich, telling a captivating tale with smart writing and a memorable ending. Crow Country is clearly lovingly crafted, resulting in a nostalgic throwback that manages to avoid feeling derivative. It does justice to the games that inspired it, but it's also a fantastic game in its own right.

Although not exactly fresh, Pokemon Platinum's substantial fine-tuning and new features make it the best special edition yet.

Like all the best titles in the genre, it has a low barrier to entry and high skill ceiling. For those looking to get in a few games with friends it's welcoming and immediately enjoyable. For those committed to ploughing the depths of its systems to get tournament ready, it has plenty to unpack and understand. Better still, those that want to play alone will find SoulCalibur VI has some of the most substantial single-player content in any fighting game today.

Rocket Knight is a retro platformer with outstanding gameplay, even if it is overpriced and a little short.

The Ringed City moves and ends a little too quickly--well before it gets all the mileage it can out of its setting and premises--but that's a small knock against what’s otherwise an exceptional send-off. A well of inspired locales and a renewed focus on the series' obsession with cycles, death and rebirth, and the passage of time, plus a few spectacularly designed and animated foes round out a worthy conclusion to a storied franchise.

The versatile magnet gun marries beautifully with the series' signature destructibility to make Red Faction: Armageddon an exciting and explosive shooter.

It's not often that a game invades my thoughts the way Control has. I'm at the point where I want to consume every last thing it has to offer. And if I'm honest, it also makes me want to go back and replay Remedy's past games, too. Sure, it's a faulty metroidvania in some respects, but there are so many exceptional qualities afoot that Control handily deflects any momentary ire. I can't wait to take part in discussions about the game, to see what others have figured out, and to better understand where it all fits into Jesse's story.

Regardless of the context in which I experience each stage in Lumines Arise--whether that is competing against another player on a stage they selected, or curating a playlist and taking my time with it at my own pace--revisiting them is never arduous. Sure, it's a testament to the conceit of the series and how well-designed Lumines is. But it also speaks to the main attraction, which is simply to experience--and then re-experience--each setpiece, with its visual gimmicks and stimulating sounds coming together to create a singular ambiance. It doesn't matter that the apples will always turn into peppers, or that the dancers will always be caught in the rain--Arise puts on a show with each stage, revitalizing the series by grabbing a familiar foundation and playing a dozen different concerts with it.

A great twist on the classic 4X formula.

This fast and exciting racer continually finds a way to keep you circling around for another lap.

SoulCalibur VI is a fighting game that's easy to recommend.

Crysis comes to consoles, and four years after its release on the PC, there's still nothing quite like it.

Plug in your gamepad and brace yourself: Devil May Cry 4 on the PC is every bit the equal of the console versions.

Swords & Soldiers is an engaging, goofy romp that takes out the complexity of other real-time strategy games but leaves in all the fun.

As unforgiving, repetitive, and frustrating as it can be, the urge to jump back into the game and take out that frustration on hordes of enemies to the tune of the most-proper soundtrack with a toy box of guns is hard to resist. Strafe wears its influences on its sleeve but stands on its own as a fun, intense, and fast-paced shooter with distinguishable charm.

Easily the most cohesive and well-rounded surfing game to hit the PS2 yet, and a unique and enjoyable extreme sports game in its own right.

Refined controls and additional modes of play make Pro Evo's second Wii outing an improvement over last year's debut.

Like all the best titles in the genre, it has a low barrier to entry and high skill ceiling. For those looking to get in a few games with friends it's welcoming and immediately enjoyable. For those committed to ploughing the depths of its systems to get tournament ready, it has plenty to unpack and understand. Better still, those that want to play alone will find SoulCalibur VI has some of the most substantial single-player content in any fighting game today.

Crysis comes to consoles, and four years after its release on the PC, there's still nothing quite like it.

It isn't the most full-featured port, but excellent combat and challenging puzzles make Darksiders a brutal blast.

WWE 2K25 is an excellent game on a mechanical level, offering tremendous depth and breadth to create matches that mimic reality in exciting ways. Its bevy of game modes comprises several worthwhile timesinks and interesting new wrinkles, each of them appealing to one or more sections of wrestling fandom. Its creation suite is in a tier of its own and deserves to be the envy of everyone else bringing user-generated content into their games. Online multiplayer woes exist in both previously seen and new forms this year, but there is so much here that deserves praise. I wouldn't throw out an otherwise exciting WrestleMania over a bad match or two. Similarly, I don't feel a handful of poorly implemented PvP features leaves WWE 2K25 as anything less than the number one contender for sports game of the year.

Sure, games such as "Supreme Commander" push the science-fiction RTS genre in cool new directions, but the World War II RTS genre has yet to learn the lessons of Company of Heroes. With Opposing Fronts, THQ and Relic keep a great thing going.

The Sims 3's latest expansion isn't entirely ambitious, but it's loaded with great new content and goofball charm.

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.

Persona 5's transition to tactics-based combat is a triumph. Every aspect of Tactica is so well conceived and moving that what's created is something truly exceptional, especially in regard to its story. I grew to adore the Phantom Thieves even more and fell in love with Toshiro, Erina, their story, and everything their characters stood for. Despite being a spin-off, Tactica has a beautiful message delivered with a clear voice. It's a fantastic addition to the Persona 5 universe--one that celebrates its spirit and resolve while also taking the conversations and ideals explored in the game to new heights.

The good news is that, in transitioning to PC, the game remains largely successful. All that remains is for the game's two remaining episodes to stick what is undoubtedly going to be a rough landing for everyone involved.

Regardless of your musical tastes, Crypt of the NecroDancer takes a proven but basic recipe and improves it with a seemingly simple twist. It would have been a fine roguelike game without its musical side, but the rhythm mechanic makes it a truly special experience.

Night Call’s real strength is in the stories it tells about Paris, about the people who live there and the meaningful connections you can have with them no matter how brief or unexpected. It's these people you'll remember once you've solved each case, not the fares you charged them.