Caves of Qud is a genre-defining achievement in play, story, and roleplaying freedom.

By turns sentimental and ridiculous, Death Stranding 2 nonetheless offers best marriage of mechanics and meaning in Hideo Kojima's storied career.

It's the 24-mission single-player experience that you'll remember for years. Call of Duty is a first-rate achievement. The sensory overload is amazing, and the interaction with intricately scripted action set-pieces is a big step forward in the art form. [Dec 2003, p.88]

Sadly, the one thing that's fairly consistent is the opposing AI's late-game heroics. [Dec 2003, p.114]

A roguelike deckbuilder debut already worthy of joining Slay the Spire and Monster Train at the King’s table. Essential.

A sleep-destroying puzzle metroidvania of baffling depth, Animal Well may go down in history as one of the genre's best.

May not be the most ambitious follow-up ever, but it does fix most of what was broken in the first game while introducing an attractive, badly needed, 3D makeover. [Dec 2004, p.108]

Final Fantasy 14 is quietly one of the best games in the series, but Shadowbringers elevates it even further by telling a bleak and heartfelt tale that generously rewards the investment made by its most hardcore fans.

Silksong can be ruthless, but it's hard to pry yourself away from its haunted little world that never seems to end.

Its complicated missions and gameplay mechanics make Enemy somewhat time-consuming for newcomers to pick up, but the benefits are worth the effort. [Sept 2003, p.79]

Buy Factorio. Build Factorio. Become Factorio.

One of the most innovative, creative, original, and awe-inspiring PC games ever. [June 2001, p.52]

Straightforward and replayable, Spelunky is precision engineered to make death fair, funny, and a story worth sharing.

A masterful distillation of classic action-platforming gameplay, doling out tension and elation in equal measure.

Vengeance combines the fresh, familiar, and the fiendish into one incredible RPG.

An incredibly inventive, rapid-fire co-op adventure that never breaks its stride, despite its dull protagonists.

Maybe Tetris Effect is just Tetris, but it masterfully does what so many other game remakes aim for—an experience suitable for seasoned players as well as beginners, which enhances what’s already good and offers new reasons to love a classic.

Finally, a hockey game that should appeal to every level of fan. [Dec 2000, p.158]

Being so devoted to Final Fantasy 7 means that there’s a lot of love to be found in Rebirth. And as a fan of that original game, it was so easy, for a while at least, to be swept up in the dazzling sights of Gaia, in the vibrant amusement park of games and sidequests at my fingertips, to hop on this rollercoaster journey with many of my all-time favorite characters and give myself to the joy of being able to spend more time with them. But all the charm and pageantry in the world can only distract me for so long before I realize: nothing has happened this whole vacation. The ship hasn’t even left the dock.

It's superb. [June 2002, p.90]

A must-own...a rare and rewarding game for fans of the genre. [Sept 2000, p.82]

A valuable remake that makes the original Metro feel complete on PC.

Short, intense, and gripping is far superior to 40 hours of average FPS action, and Riddick is too excellent to miss merely because of its first-impression pedigree. [March 2005, p.62]

Just like "Civ II," it blends a simple start with a vast array of options and pulls them together into a detailed, compelling, and seamless gaming experience. [Holiday 2001, p.65]

Ghost Trick is an essential and engrossing experience for any PC gamer.

Charming, deep, and constantly surprising, Dave the Diver is packed with activities and full of heart.

Despite it's killer opening act, Hi-Fi Rush fails to sustain its blend of rhythm and action all the way until the end.

God of War Ragnarök isn't the cleanest sequel, but it leaves Sony's angriest franchise in a great place.

Gorgeous, immersive and packed with game modes, NBA 2K13 is one poorly designed keyboard setup away from b-ball glory.

A beautiful exercise in freeform solutions, Zachtronics has created one of the most satisfying puzzle games ever made.

A final word about the dynamic campaign: it's incredible... This mode could keep some people going for years. [June 2005, p.64]

A great port of what is still one of the best action games around. Bayonetta is the essential hack-'n-slash.

Gorgeous graphics, deep combat and a user-friendly makeover makes the fifth Civilization a great place to start or renew your interest in global domination. [Nov 2010, p.52]

One of the most welcome and significant new flight-sim releases in years. [Sept 2005, p.71]

A delightful update that fills the original game with even more humorous and thoughtful rabbit holes to get lost in.

A rough port and bungled narrative make The Last of Us Part 2 hard to recommend, though the remaster's additions and moment-to-moment action satisfy.

Delivers everything that a dedicated flight-simmer could ask for. This game will be a very hard act to follow for a long time to come. [Jan 2002, p.58]

A gorgeous world, bursting with personality. Great storytelling makes up for the short length and unchallenging puzzles.

A deep and rewarding competitive game that becomes something special when taken on in the company of others.

An accomplished and rewarding online RPG that does a great deal to reclaim the promise of its genre.

A dark, cool, and beautiful revival of an incredible game. [Oct 2011, p.68]

The most amazing, spectacular, ultimate superhero game ever made. [May 2002, p.58]

Exacting, agonising, challenging, and intensely rewarding, Into the Breach delivers in the tiniest package the most perfectly formed tactics around.

A gorgeous and uncompromisingly realistic racing sim that anyone can drive. [Holiday 2006, p.108]

GTAIV works well as a multiplayer game. [Feb 2009, p.70]

Red Alert will be like by the legions of the faithful, and win new converts as well. [Dec 1996, p.238]

A satisfying, self-contained adventure that plays to the series' strengths, but doesn't add anything novel outside of its storytelling.

Remedy's boldest experiment yet is a beautiful storm of surreal storytelling and genuinely frightening survival horror.

If you can make it through the uninspired first third, you'll be treated to one of the prettiest, coolest, most compelling shooters released in the past year. [June 2002, p.65]

A tense, challenging, and beautiful remake of a classic survival horror game, and with enough fresh ideas to make it feel excitingly new.

Three great characters and a beautiful, fluid combat system make this a must-buy for hack-and-slash fans.

You might love or loathe Neon White's willfully cringe anime storytelling, but these blistering platforming time trials are a heavenly delight.

The best fully 3D real-time strategy yet. [Feb 2001, p.58]

Regrettably, most of AoM's missions suffer from one recurring, frustrating problem: a severe case of "build base-itis." [Holiday 2002, p.68]

Stuffed with content and pathos, Infinite Wealth delivers a near-excessive amount of urban crime-drama adventure.

Sprawling level design, thrilling combat, and masterful indirect storytelling make Dark Souls 3 the best Dark Souls yet.

One button used to its fullest potential and heaps of visual experimentation pay off in droves to make Rhythm Doctor one of the coolest and most distinctive rhythm games I've ever played.

A deep, rich, and wonderfully written RPG that lives up to the towering legacy of the games that inspired it.

I'll still be playing it in months -- if not years -- from now, that's for sure. [July 2002, p.77]

This sequel to an all-time classic is one of the standout RPGs for the 1990s. [Jan 1998, p.221]

Rocksmith 2014 is not just a fun game for guitar players, but the best way to learn how to play guitar or improve your technique. [Jan 2014, p.68]

A brilliantly energetic and creative platformer that doesn't just do right by its inspiration Wario Land, but actually surpasses it.

A stellar action platformer with gorgeous presentation and excellent combat. Punishing but worth it.

A strategically deep deckbuilder that, with any luck, has spawned a brilliant new subgenre.

Left 4 Dead's emphasis on teamwork and vague hints of story may not appeal to gamers who demand a focused single-player experience, but for the millions out there who have ever imagined their role in the inevitable Zombie Apocalypse, it simply cannot be missed. [Jan 2009, p.30]

As close as you can get to an F1 driver’s life without being cussed by Sebastian Vettel.

It's the package that counts, and this one's simply as good as it gets. [May 2002, p.76]

Mass Effect deserves a spot on your shelf next to the rest of the PC's great RPGs. [Aug 2008, p.58]

Kynseed is gorgeous, fun, and surprisingly impactful. Just don't rush through the prologue.

A gleefully anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits, TGYH is the funniest game I've played.

Improved platforming underpins a glorious return to one of gaming's most inventive and empathic universes.

A worthy follow-up to our 1999 Game of the Year. [Nov 2000, p.130]

It forces you to think more like a real-world commander and less like a "wargamer." [Jan 2003, p.102]

Phantom Liberty doesn't reinvent Cyberpunk 2077, but it is CD Projekt firing on all cylinders to tell a great RPG story.

A superb multiplayer RPG that moves the boundaries of what an MMO can be. [Aug 2005, p.64]

This enthralling mystery quickly had me in its ghostly grip and refused to let go.

It seems crass to judge a game by quantity, but this is quantity of quality. So if the amount of money you spend on games is a practical concern, it's worth saying that this one is freakishly good value. Even if it's not a concern, it's worth saying that this one is freakishly good.

If you’re looking for a great thrill ride, an interesting story, and bleeding-edge technology, Max Payne delivers all of them.

With its combination of dazzling graphics and fast, tactical gameplay, I can easily see World in Conflict becoming a favorite of competitive clans and LAN parties everywhere. [Nov 2007, p.72]

It's another Forza Horizon, for all its faults, but also its many, many triumphs. Forza Horizon 6 isn't an ambitious sequel, but its version of Japan is still a joy to race through.

It's simply the best Destiny 2 expansion—both a satisfying conclusion to the series' first saga, and a compelling shooter packed full of stuff to do.

The finest racing simulation on the market today - bar none. [Apr 2001, p.70]

A monumental achievement in game design...It is the Mount Everest, the Beethoven's Ninth, and Moby Dick of PC Wargames, and it absolutely qualifies as a genuine work of art. [Nov 2003, p.106]

Even with its few faults, Star Control 3 is a worthy successor and a blast to play. [Dec 1996, p.260]

It's the ultimate game for unleashing all your pent-up aggression. It is the most astonishing game we've laid our eyes on for ages! In fact, it makes pretty much every PC game we've ever seen - "Doom" included - like slightly dull. Honestly! [July 1996, p.78]

Well, slap me silly, because not only does Far Cry offer utterly sensational visuals and jaw-dropping gameplay, but it also heralds the arrival of developer Crytek, which now joins id Software and Valve at the head of the shooter class... A stunning achievement. [June 2004, p.62]

Technically impressive but just not as fun or innovative as its predecessor.

A crowning achievement for Vlambeer, and one of the finest action-roguelikes ever made.

A sweet treat that recreates the old recipe with higher quality ingredients.

Spectacular player collisions and tackles, and a far more realistic pace make FIFA 12 the best football sim yet.

Cruelty Squad celebrates feeling bad in surprising ways, all of them fun.

Brutal, beautiful, emotion-wringing turn-based storytelling muffled by flat base design.

The end of the series is a mixed bag. Satisfying in some ways, nonsensical in others, and ultimately too simple. But the sheer scale of the adventure it's ending – and the music, which is gorgeous throughout – gives it an emotional impact that goes beyond its plot payload.

A stunning achievement in RTS design. [Aug 2003, p.74]

Easily the finest of the series. [Apr 2003, p.94]

If you thought the original Descent was a walk in the park, you'll meet your match in Descent II. But stick with it and you'll enjoy the ride. [June 1996, p.82]

One incredible achievement. It's definitely a must-buy for anyone remotely interested in the Descent series - and unquestionably a front-runner in anyone's Action Game of the Year list.

If this isn't destined to be a classic, I'll swallow a cutlass. [Feb 1998, p.95]