The pitfalls of Spec Ops don't detract from what Modern Warfare does well, though. Realism mode is an excellent addition to the slate, and although not all the new multiplayer modes are great, Gunfight and the Night Vision playlist are refreshing standouts. And while the campaign ends up playing it safe in the end, it's still a memorable one, and it lays a strong foundation for where the Modern Warfare series could go from here.

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.

Perhaps the next true frontier is the search for a procedural generation system that can create something more ostentatious, something that can surprise…something not so visible derived from an underlying system of ones and zeroes. But then, maybe it's there in Elite: Dangerous, in its way, and the problem is that I need to learn to start being more impressed by LaGrange points.

With a set destination, the journey has to be the focal point of Old Skies--which is great for it, as the game is a fantastic journey. The memorable dialogue is bolstered by an incredible cast of voice actors, and the story is compelling from its shocking first hour to its timey-wimey final moments. I'm normally one to play point-and-click games in small bursts to sit with each chapter of the story, but I found myself regularly playing Old Skies in large chunks, going through multiple chapters in each sitting just to see what would happen next. And even though I didn't enjoy every step there, the overall package more than made up for it with one of my favorite stories of this year.

IL-2 Sturmovik's dogfights and bombing runs are exciting enough to satisfy anyone with an interest in air combat. It successfully caters to both novices and veterans, and it's good to see such a faithful sim appear on a console.

The multiplayer's a bust, but God of War: Ascension's campaign is a gloriously bloody adventure filled with exhilarating combat.

Electronic Arts improves upon the solid foundation they laid with Tiger Woods 06 and builds a great game in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07.

Beyond the mood-breaking fetch quests and blank stares, however, Life is Strange has finally come into its own in Episode Three, shedding some dialogue and pacing problems from previous episodes.

It moves quickly--and in some pretty familiar directions, given how we’ve seen events like the attack on Prescott and the desperate search for a new refuge many times before. But not everything is as expected here, and the dramatic weight tied to unpredictable moments--as well as the amount of action--provides more of the franchise alluring edge-of-your-seat storytelling.

Although Buzz on the PS3 is more of the same, the addition of user-generated questions, downloadable question packs, and new wireless buzzers makes it a worthwhile upgrade for fans.

Parts of this legacy have aged horribly, but they’re still undeniably a piece of Mega Man X history.

In any game within the toys-to-life genre, there's sometimes an unspoken question: is this also a great toy or just a great game? In LEGO Dimensions' case, the answer is easy: it's both.

NCAA Football 10 is a great football game that offers a new level of accessibility for newcomers, but keeps the core mechanics that veterans love.

Gathering Storm is overall a great expansion, ushering in two significant new systems that work hand in hand to deepen the experience. The embellished diplomatic options extend the range of interactions with other leaders, allowing you to work cooperatively towards common goals or pull the strings to your advantage behind the scenes. While the introduction of climate change delivers new strategic choices whose consequences resonate ever-more-loudly as you advance throughout the eras. It isn't simply more Civ, it's a whole new way to play Civ.

It's a bold, declarative statement backed with aesthetic skill on nearly every front. ROM is a resounding success and one of the most affecting adventures I've ever had.

PixelJunk Eden is beautiful and serene, until an impatient clock mixes far too much stress into this otherwise leisurely game.

The Stetchkov Syndicate's additional weapons, aggressive suspects, and new multiplayer mode breathe new life into an already great tactical shooter.

Arcade Edition is the most comprehensive version of Street Fighter IV released to date, and an essential buy for fans who don't already have Super Street Fighter IV.

Despite being the first WWE game ever to offer a full roster of WWE voice talent and the first North American-released wrestling game to feature online play, neither of these features live up to their potential, and the other random gameplay upgrades just don't feel like a significant enough progression for the series.

A really funny game that puts an innovative twist on the side-scrolling shooter.

Deliver[s] a stunning presentation coupled with solid gameplay and a lengthy campaign.

Despite being plenty of fun and sporting a few new tweaks, Pokemon White 2 fails to outshine its predecessors.

In collecting, battling, and exploring, Sword and Shield cut out the bloat and focus on what makes these pillars of the Pokemon games so captivating in the first place. You're not held back by overly complicated back-end systems or hoops to jump through; from the outset, you can start wandering the Galar region, seeing its new Pokemon, and trying out its new battle strategies with very little in your way. This leaves you free to enjoy what Pokemon is all about, and that makes for an incredibly strong showing for the series' proper debut on Switch.

PS2 owners who haven't played any other version of MDK2 should be pleased with the game, and Dreamcast owners who couldn't muster the dedication to complete the game might want to see what they missed on the PS2.

Offering several new features, as well as improvements to the game's graphics, sound, and overall polish, NBA Live 2004 is a good game for Live fans and general basketball fans alike.

Sci-fi trappings don't make the repetitive gameplay in this dungeon crawler feel any less dated.

The gameplay has an ultrarealistic feel to it, thanks to an accurate physics model that not only shows the car lean from the stress of a turn, but also totally lets you stay in control with tight responsive controls.

There are only a few improvements to help distinguish it from NHL 2002, but these changes further increase the realism of what is considered the best hockey simulation on the market.