The Pokémon series has always been about more than its graphics, and this game exemplifies that.

Because of this game, I’m developing a connection with the [“League of Legends”] franchise. I just don’t find the game to be a must-play worthy of a ringing endorsement.

The game lets you live and relive the best moments of the Halo series whenever you want, whether it’s playing getaway driver for a botched base attack, a pilot abandoning ship after an impromptu dogfight, falling from the air to strike at enemies below with a hammer like Thor, or being the platoon leader of a ragtag group of soldiers cautiously navigating Zeta Halo’s vast, Pacific Northwest-inspired forests. ... Finally, a Halo experience once again remembers that the player is not meant to look into Master Chief’s eyes, purposely anonymous, hidden behind his visor helmet; we are meant to look through them.

The problem with Battlefield 2042 isn’t a short supply of [Battlefield] moments, it’s the flimsy and frustrating connective tissue between them.

The game crashed on the Xbox Series X semi-frequently, but I pressed on, knowing that right around the corner I was likely to find some new thing that would surprise and delight me.

In play, it is smartly dressed but simple, like a child of wealthy parents who can afford to be a bit dim.

Forza Horizon 5 [is] the first killer, can’t-miss game for the current generation Xbox Series X and S consoles as well as Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service. It’s a game that I think anyone can immediately find appealing.

Age of Empires IV is a simple, pleasurable game that rewards developing high skill but does not require it to push and learn your way through.

House of Ashes comes close to “Until Dawn”-level quality, and for the first time after finishing a game in this series, it has me genuinely excited to see the next entry.

If you can look past the rotating control stick games, and if developer NDcube can offer new content and refine the game over time, you’re likely to enjoy this party for years to come.

Guardians of the Galaxy by Eidos Montreal ends up becoming an even better Guardians story than the two blockbuster films combined.

Metroid Dread is a good Metroid-style game, but does little more.

The result is a beautiful game with a lot of heart but no clear, coherent storyline and a few disappointing characters.

Kena isn’t especially inventive, but the game is an entertaining hodgepodge of tried-and-true ideas.

Lost Judgment is the most captivating, dramatic and transfixing story of the year, and that should be no surprise to fans of RGG Studio’s output.

It is the point of convergence for all the stuff you might expect of “a game” in 2021, wrapped in a stylish, meticulously-constructed package.

True Colors is worth exploring in its entirety, but it glosses over the rougher parts of life, painting them in a romantic light.

It leans into its own ridiculousness to deliver a multiplayer experience that feels unique to the series and a single-player experience that has plenty of fun reasons to return even after you beat Story Mode.

Perhaps it’s a good sign that Boyfriend Dungeon leaves players wanting more — it means that it’s compelling, even if only for a short time.

No More Heroes 3 is a love letter to gaming culture that lacks underlying mischief, opting instead for cozy familiarity.

The richness and cartoonish sincerity of Psychonauts’s world makes playing the game feel like switching on the TV for some well-written Saturday morning cartoons.

I can’t remember a game that sustains an awe-inspiring presentation for just about every second you play.

While brimming with gorgeous visuals and charm, for a game about time, “Cris Tales” doesn’t seem to value yours.

The Ascent reminds me of the good old days of Xbox 360 and its robust indie offerings on the old Xbox Live Arcade service, where games like “Shadow Complex” or “Super Meat Boy” were not afraid of making small twists to classic formulas.

There’s little else to say besides “Streets of Rage 4,” as a now-complete package, has my highest possible recommendation.

Variable State may still not have found the perfect interactive formula for its cinematic talents, but until it does “Last Stop” remains a moderate success.

It’s all squeeze, very little juice. Maddening.

Learning to master “Mario Golf” is one of the game’s most compelling challenges.