The levels are bigger, the trick catalog is more plentiful, the number of goals per level has been doubled, and the already stunning gameplay has been honed even further.

The single-player game, which you can still play long after you complete the story, is the series' best by far, and the multiplayer features are good enough that you'll likely have no problem finding people to play with for many months to come.

For sheer adrenaline working in tandem with eye-melting graphics, nothing could touch it.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is simply an outstanding game. It never rests on its laurels for a second, constantly presenting new objectives and mechanics to push you to never before seen places. Even the two-player mode offers new abilities and delights, making it even more fun to play with a friend by your side.

A game that you simply have to play. The single-player game, which you can still play long after you complete the story, is the series' best by far, and the multiplayer features are good enough that you'll likely have no problem finding people to play with for many months to come.

The stellar presentation and fantastic level designs combine to make Super Mario Galaxy the Wii's game to beat and one of Mario's greatest adventures yet.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done.

GTA V is an imperfect yet astounding game that has great characters and an innovative and exciting narrative structure, even if the story it uses that structure to tell is hobbled at times by inconsistent character behavior, muddled political messages and rampant misogyny. It also raises the bar for open-world mission design in a big way and has one of the most beautiful, lively, diverse and stimulating worlds ever seen in a game.

A fully voiced cast and new content of comparable quality to the original game are welcome additions, although The Final Cut isn't quite yet the definitive edition we were hoping for due to the nagging issues it suffers from. But it speaks to the high standards developer ZA/UM Studio set with Disco Elysium's original release that these are the only blights on what remains one of the best games of recent years.

Dreamcast owners can enjoy what is easily the best version of the game to be released thus far.

Breath of the Wild is a defining moment for The Legend of Zelda series, and the most impressive game Nintendo has ever delivered.

Strikes a perfect balance between new and old and renders the two previous entries in the series almost completely obsolete in the process.

The number of things that you can unlock in the game is simply staggering.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done.

Aside from a few mild frame rate issues that sometimes take the edge off its more dramatic moments, this is the definitive version of GTA V, and the bar by which all other open-world games, or indeed any game that aims for a cinematic feel, should be judged. It is beautiful, and thought-provoking, and thrilling throughout.

It's not just one of the single most atmospheric games ever created, but it's also quite simply one of the best.

While the violent nature of the game will surely turn some people off and kids simply shouldn't be allowed anywhere near it, GTA III is, quite simply, an incredible experience that shouldn't be missed by anyone mature enough to handle it.

Mario's latest outing is big, bold, and bursting with new ideas, and like Breath of the Wild, is another instance of Nintendo going above and beyond to redefine our expectations. It's a shining example of refined creativity, and another crown jewel for Switch that is without equal.

A complete thrill ride from beginning to end, an experience perhaps best described as a 16-hour-plus version of the siege scene from the film "Terminator 2"...easily one of the best shooters ever, on any platform.

The vastly improved running game makes all the difference in the world, since now you can truly mount an offensive attack that consists of a true-to-life air-and-ground assault.

While Half-Life 2 breaks little new ground, it's still a superb and engaging first-person shooter, as well as an amazing technological accomplishment.

Its weak link is its unsatisfying no-skill-required combat, which might aim this one just over the head of the average Halo fan. But if you want to get a little fancy, there's a lot of fun to be had with some of the game's more indirect fighting methods. It builds an amazing atmosphere by using terrific graphics and sound to set a creepy mood. But BioShock's real strengths are as a compelling work of interactive fiction, and as a unique ride through a warped world with some great payoff built into its mysterious plot. If that description has you even the least bit interested, you won't be disappointed one bit.

The type of game N64 owners have been waiting for since they finished Mario 64. It has outstanding graphics and sound, and contains a certain depth in its gameplay that really entices you to finish it on all three difficulty levels.

With an exhilarating campaign, intense cooperative mode, and addictive multiplayer competition, Uncharted 2 is a complete game that is completely awesome.

An amazing achievement in a variety of ways, especially in how its inspired, state-of-the-art cinematic presentation works so well with its relentlessly exciting, white-knuckle action, all of which is wrapped up in a decidedly lengthy adventure chock-full of hidden secrets and bonus extras.

Near the end of Baldur's Gate 3, a character says, "Too much freedom can be frightening." It's a powerful line within the context of the story, but it also speaks to Baldur's Gate 3 on a deeper level. The freedom that it offers is unprecedented, and it takes a little while to really see the scope of what that means for the game. At times, the sheer number of choices and consequences can be overwhelming. But before long, it becomes apparent that Baldur's Gate 3 allows players to be the authors of their own destinies in a way no other game has before. It's that freedom and reactivity paired with its excellent presentation and fantastic characters that really set Baldur's Gate 3 apart, and it's why after 200 hours I'm still coming back to it. Too much freedom can be frightening, but Larian trusts its players to make the most of it, for better or for worse.

With three amazing new games and two classics all in one package, it's impossible to go wrong with The Orange Box.

With three amazing new games and two classics all in one package, it's impossible to go wrong with The Orange Box.