You've got a huge island to explore, ridiculously effective tools for scouting every hostile situation, and so many clever intersecting systems to inspire creative ways to conquer them. It's a better stealth game than Far Cry 1, set in an open world that feels richer than Far Cry 2's. That's an amazing thing to play.

It's not often that a free MMO shares shares space with World of Warcraft on my desktop, but Duneon Runners changed all that with a splash of Diablo-inspired gameplay that lets you roam randomly generated dungeons as one of three classes. [Sept 2007, p.64]

A smattering of technical issues keep Subnautica from true legendary status, but only just.

A challenging and inventive set of mysteries to solve tied together with a brilliant storyline.

A chilling sequel that improves on its forebear in almost every way. [Dec 2005, p.66]

A subtle and intriguing story encourages you to climb ever higher in this melancholy adventure.

A sports classic. [Holiday 2002, p.106]

A distinguished sim of the most fascinating and closely run campaing ever fought on the Western Front. Grognards will love its depth, and newbies can catch up fairly easily. [Mar 2004, p.77]

An absurdly entertaining open world playground that’s at its best when it breaks away from script. Shame about those tailing missions.

Polished and involving, FTL spews superb sci-fi adventures like a cornered Mantis boarder spews hot formic acid.

For dynamic looks and pure depth of gameplay, Winning Eleven 8's smooth, stylish, fast, and fluid style of soccer is a joy to behold. It's better than "FIFA," and that's the bottom line. [May 2005, p.63]

Ball physics are right on the money, with a mouse-swing that really does capture the "feel" of a measured swing. [Dec 2003, p.134]

A cerebral and spooky sequel that expands on the franchise’s story and themes, while slightly dialing down the terror.

An incredible exploration portal with even greater potential once its tech issues have been addressed.

A slow start gives way to a thought-provoking adventure in a remarkable setting. A fitting follow-up to a beloved RPG.

An addictive and challenging step forward for team-oriented shooters. [June 2001, p.87]

Slight in form, but deep and consistently satisfying. Nex Machina is a gem of a shooter.

A obsessively tuned, finely crafted shooter that more than recreates the speed and pure joy of '90s classics.

Despite rough edges, Flanker 2.0 is the best hardcore sim on the market. [Feb 2000, p.119]

Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak is more of the same for Rise fans, which is great, but the lack of truly 'new' stuff is disappointing.

Flexible, fun, and ferocious too, this roguelike has more than enough dungeon diving for everyone.

It's impressive that the team is still able to take FF14's trappings and crystalise them into new forms even so many years on, from the way jobs and dungeons feel like the best they've ever been, to their confidence when it comes to experimenting with the relationship between gameplay and storytelling. But while there are some stunning vistas and lighting effects, and the detailing on new armour designs are enchanting, the age of the core game can't help but show, smooth as it is to play. This is a great final chapter to a story that'll stick with me, and I'm excited to see the team tell a new one—but I'm eager for some bigger changes to shake up Eorzea when they do.

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

A thrilling mystery that asks players to rise to its challenges, and rewards them when they do.

If you value character development, old-fashioned gameplay, and a good plot, this game delivers on all counts. [Feb 1999, p.178]

Thankfully, smart as ever, Amplitude Studios has created another astounding story-driven game, that really has taken the best bits of RTS, RPG and 4X, drawing much from Endless Space, and spun it differently for every faction.

Almost every bit as much fun as its Microsoft rival, and at a cheaper price. [Jan 2003, p.122]

While Sword of the Stars doesn't possess the battlefield variety of the "Homeworld" games that inspired it, it remains an ambitious and engrossing strategy triumph. [Nov. 2006, p.78]

Consider this game a creative homage rather than a remake of all things Lara Croft, and a perfect chance for newcomers and diehards alike to jump back into the series' seminal single-player action. [Aug 2007, p.60]

It doesn't redefine the action RPG, but in a genre laden with derivative games, Hellgate is a refreshing concoction that's likely to have enduring appeal. [Dec 2007, p.48]

A revolutionary tale told with memorable characters, excellent combat, and surprisingly forthright politics.

Both blissful and demanding, Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is one of the most beautiful skiing games on PC.

A thoughtful response to Dishonored that makes for an entertaining stealth shooter in its own right, but it's the multiplayer invasions that make Deathloop sing.

There's still work to be done on the game at large, but The Witch Queen is a massive step in the right direction. The campaign alone is worth the price of admission.

Last minute collapse onto its own silver sword aside, this is one of the most impressive RPGs you'll ever play.

Still the best baseball management sim ever, and predictably so given its similarity to last year's great game.

A magnificent adventure with impressive fights and some very rough edges.

Strictly for fans of turn-based space-strategy epics, but it's the Acme of the genre. [June 2002, p.60]

A deep, dark, challenging and impossibly rewarding fantasy RPG, sadly given a straight and perfunctory port from console.

Graphics from the '80s with RPG gameplay from the late '90s and writing like nothing else: Skald was 2024's biggest pleasant surprise.

A glorious scramble for power elevated by some fantastic new units. Shame about those boring boat battles.

Not just a great sequel, but a thoughtful and human narrative adventure wrapped in a satisfying and beautiful puzzle game.

Persona 3 Reload is a highly-polished remake of the 2006 classic. A few elements don't age well.

Even if you're not the seafaring type, Pirates of the Burning Sea offers genuinely enjoyable core gameplay that, despite a steep learning curve and a few rough spots, will capitivate even the driest of landlubbers. [May 2008, p.60]

Frostpunk is a stressful, stylish, and addictive survival management game filled with incredibly difficult choices.

Dispatch is full of heart and jokes, and it's one of the best superhero TV shows around.

Visually near-perfect, but the ample action is bottlenecked by narrower level design and a weaker Nanosuit.

The best Tekken game in years, let down only by its struggling netcode and aged customisation.

Deep but accessible, Battlerite is packed with smart decisions and reliably creates great competitive moments.

Perhaps the most impressive new feature is F1 2002's dedicated multiplayer support for up to 16 players. [Sept 2002, p.70]

Unless you're looking for a hardcore sim, Forza Horizon is still the best racing series around.

An even better version of one of the best Early Access survival games.

A treasure of a wargame. It aptly portrays his fight to conquer the world, and it works hard to transport you to the scene of its battles. [Feb 2005, p.75]

Valkyria Chronicles is one of the most unique and fun strategy games I’ve ever played, despite a few flaws with the port.

Beneath its charming and inventive worlds, Outer Wilds hides a cleverly unfolding mystery.

Technical issues aside, Wo Long is a master of its craft that future soulslikes should study under.

Serious racing for serious racers. Extraordinarily convincing at each of the disciplines on offer.

Its dynamic world is one of the most interesting RPG settings ever. [Feb 2004, p.78]

Clever questing and a stand-out combat system make for an entertaining MMO that's as large as it is full of character.

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

An engrossing game that outdoes its strong but rambling predecessors. It’s the crown of a groundbreaking series. [Feb 2002, p.64]

By returning to the past, Battlefield 1 feels renewed. The best game in the series since Bad Company 2.

In my 12 years of reviewing wargames, I've never enjoyed a deeper, richer, more historically plausible simulation. [Sept 2002, p.68]

An extremely intelligent sci-fi interrogation sim that’s unpredictable for all the right reasons.

Rarely has the rally ethic been so faithfully re-created, with careful attention paid to the endurance-intensive realism of off-road competition. [Apr 2002, p.80]

Dredge is a fantastically twisted fishing horror full of charm. It snags in parts but still successfully reeled me in from start to finish. A beautifully dreary bite-sized mystery.

The quintessential football management sim is back with its most ambitious undertaking in years.

Outward is harsh and occasionally frustrating, but it does what so few games do. It requires you to put real thought into the choices you make, and it makes those choices feel like they really matter. Most of all, it makes you approach each and every encounter as if your life depended on it—even though you never die.

A frankly terrifying exercise in pushing Doom as far as it can go.

A great comeback from episode two, A Crooked Mile amplifies the drama—though sometimes in the wrong ways—and confronts Bigby with hard choices and proper detective work.

Disappointing campaign aside, Steel Division: Normandy 44 is a compelling and challenging real-time wargame.

Combat, while simplistic, captures some of the campy charm of the '60s Batman TV show. [Holiday 2008, p.72]

True, the learning curve is Himalayan, but once I got sucked in, my love of strat games was instantly rekindled. [Feb 2002, p.73]

Allow yourself to get pulled into the show, and it’s hard to see where real life finishes and NBA 2K starts. It's the best sports series on earth. By a distance.

A weird, beautiful, melancholy martial arts adventure. Flawed, but an unforgettable, singular experience.

It’s got its hooks into me: it’s a better game than the original in every way, and it nails the battle between pitcher and batter that’s at the heart of baseball. If you’re a fan of the sport, it’s a must-own.

Master its complex systems and Offworld Trading Company is ruthless, immediate and thoroughly rewarding.

It's a charming, sunshine-bright indie action-RPG with an old-school disregard for your time. It'll consume you with a smile, and you'll be smiling, too: but it's down to the community to turn it into something special.

Expect this one to take up a hunk of your hard drive for many moons. [Oct 2000, p.119]

Hand-down the best of the MechWarrior series. [Feb 2001, p.52]

As accessible and deep as a serious military simulation can get. If you want to taste command in modern war, this is your game. [Mar 2003, p.95]

Even amidst the farming sim renaissance, Roots of Pacha cultivates a charming, community-driven vision of the Stone Age that’s endlessly satisfying and always enchanting.

Wild! is a must-buy for critter lovers and coaster-builders alike. [Apr 2006, p.100]

I'd recommend this game at $50. At the cost of a quick snatch-and-grab from the nearest recruiting station, it's easy to call it a must-play. [Jan 2003, p.118]

What the Golf? has been in development for a while—I feel like I've tried it at several indie game events over the past few years—but now that it's out I'm delighted to see its a fun, funny, extremely inventive puzzle game and a pleasure to play from the first hole-in-one to the final cat-in-seven.

A beautiful, smartly designed game set in a gorgeous futuristic city, but with a story that doesn’t quite do it justice.

Tactical Breach Wizards review: Excellent turn-based tactical combat wrapped up in a joyful, tightly-written story.

The Walking Dead's signature moral dilemmas are more nuanced than ever in a plot-heavy second episode.

Myth II has wanton carnage, great multiplayer action, and killer graphics. What more could you want? [May 1999, p.101]

Gorgeous and invigorating, Abzû flounders a bit with a hamfisted story, but there’s still nothing quite like it on the PC.

Back 4 Blood is an exceptional FPS that sets a new standard for co-op zombie murderfests.

A massive, bountiful RPG with richly descriptive writing, a well-realised setting, and deep tactical combat.

Red Dead Redemption 2's stark, slow depiction of America's fading frontier is a monumental work straining against stubborn mission design and stability problems.

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]

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

Minor technical issues and questionable monetisation scuff what is otherwise one of the best fighting games we've seen in the last decade.

A top-notch action-arcade game with a sly, dry sense of humor. [Sept 2000, p.93]

Does a bang-up job of communicating the unique, topsy-turvy physics at play in keeping a 180-mph GP bike on the straight and narrow. [Sept 2003, p.80]