Although the vehicle dynamics are still conspicuously slot-car like, the game itself is easily one of the finest EA has ever produced. [Jan 2004, p.118]

An intense and demanding simulation of modern urban combat. [Dec 2004, p.70]

Tense and thrilling with finely tuned systems, Saints & Sinners is a must-have VR experience.

A triumphant remake of Yakuza 2, full of fun diversions and featuring one of the series' best stories.

Expect many sessions of "just one more click/match/deal". [Apr 2008, p.64]

With Doom’s campaign, id Software found a sweet spot nestled somewhere between nostalgia and modernity that celebrates the pulpy sheen of big-budget shooters and resurrects an intense, simplified focus on the shooting itself. Doom sticks a bit too close to home to reinvigorate the genre, but it’s a reminder that FPS games aren’t limited to stop and pop corridors and political melodrama. It’s a reminder that sometimes a controlled, crafted appeal to base desires—going fast, flying high, and swift, tongue-in-cheek demon justice—are more than enough.

A terrific return to form for singleplayer Final Fantasy that makes the series' future exciting, in a barebones (though functional) PC package.

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

A well-designed and entertaining street racer - "Midtown Madness" on steroids. [Oct 2003, p.102]

It captivates me because—imperfectly, impressionistically, and perhaps a little amorally—it lets me orchestrate the most titanic armed struggles in history, from the fussy economic details to the cut-and-thrust of mechanized warfare. There are other great strategic-level wargames out there. But I have never played anything like Hearts of Iron 4.

No quarter has been spared in delivering one of the most detailed and complex representations of modern sub warfare ever for the PC. [Holiday 2001, p.88]

This 3D take on the Vampire Survivors’ formula is brilliant dumb fun that’ll have you bonking monsters for hours. Eww.

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

Inkle builds a weirdo computer for the ages, then let you use it to solve a beautifully-written mystery. Outstanding.

First-time game developer TimeGate Studios has a winner on its hands. [June 2001, p.82]

Skin Deep is an indulgent masterclass in immersive sim shenanigans, but lacks a standout level you'll be telling friends about for years.

Its excellent production values and clever design make for a very satisfying package. [Dec 2004, p.104]

Some subtle tweaks make this the most polished, accessible entry in the Football Manager series in years.

TH4 is so packed with content and character that even a non-skater should have a wicked time when armed with a solid gamepad. [Dec 2003, p.109]

Like having a drunken conversation with a friend who really loves music, but it's a videogame and good.

All in all, this episode doesn't quite reach the pinnacle of excellence that episode four managed, but its gags and puzzles are as clever as ever. [June 2007, p.71]

Audiosurf is about experiencing music with more than your ears. [June 2008, p.75]

In most games, frustration and annoyance are solid indicators that something isn't working. Here, they're part and parcel of competition. If I'm annoyed, someone else is having a good time. If I'm elated, someone else is raging. That can be difficult to put a score to, because it removes emotion as the guiding light of a subjective process. Here's what I can say for certain: Overwatch is a great, occasionally fantastic shooter, and filled with fresh, clever design decisions.

Enhanced with hi-res sprites and a spiffier soundtrack, this indie success story has received the update it deserves.

A brilliant resurrection of a classic. Speed and skill-driven mechanics separate Tribes from other modern shooters.

Gorgeous gib-filled excitement for deathmatch players with beefy systems. [Holiday 2002, p.112]

Despite a rather ho-hum main quest, Dragonborn is crammed with enough side quests and new stuff to be an exciting add-on.

Despite some stumbles in its opening hours, Hades 2 blooms with flexible combat and unforgettable characters.

A visual masterpiece with enough good gameplay to make it a classic. [Feb 2001, p.50]

Delivers one of the most convincing sensations of raw ground speed that I’ve ever seen in a PC racing game. [Jan 2002, p.72]

This latest Medal of Honor proves to be the best of the series, and one of the deepest and most challenging World War II shooters I've ever played. [Nov 2007, p.68]

The last few herbs and spices that Civ V’s epic stew was missing. A recipe for hundreds of hours more delicious turn-based strategy.

True to the spirit of its pioneering predecessors, Railroad Tycoon 3 is a richly textured and hopelessly addictive strategy game that's almost certain to steam straight to the top of the sales charts. [Jan 2004, p.114]

I listened to Wandersong's soundtrack while writing this review, and I've been happily jiggling my leg throughout.

If EA can work in some car damage, a hard-core physics option, and some proper cockpit views for the next chapter, this franchise will leap into a league of its own. [Feb 2005, p.54]

This charming sequel doesn't need flashy new innovations to craft an engrossing adventure.

Who knew Sid Meier's protégés had a secret, and completely brilliant, Persona game in them?

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

An exciting new direction for MMOs that's plenty of fun already and should only get better with a few patches under its utility belt.

The best-ever WWII sim gets new planes, new settings, and carrier operations. [Jan 2005, p.76]

Control's thin protagonist and abrupt ending are propped up by an abundance of mystery, wonder, and glorious room-destroying combat.

Heaven's Vault communicates the beauty of assigning meaning to symbols, and thus the people who wrote them.

The turn-based combat isn't the best, but it's a delightfully written RPG absolutely packed with humor.

A novel, homicidal romp acted out by charming, cliches. [Feb 2011, p.73]

A wonderfully executed, brilliantly stressful reinvention of party-based dungeon-crawling, Darkest Dungeon is great fun, even when it’s cruel.

Challenging but immaculately calibrated controls power an exciting and enormously rewarding sci-fi roguelike.

So, McRae-tagged it may be, but DiRT 2 isn't really a rally game. It has thrown off the stern shackles of the sport it theoretically represents, determined instead to turn racing into one giant party--and everyone's invited. [Jan 2010, p.82]

Quake Live may be a 10-year-old shooter, but it's still a rush. [Nov 2010, p.85]

However, if you've been level 60 for a while and let your account lapse, The Burning Crusade is reason enough to reactivate your account. [Apr 2007, p.46]

A vast and incredible playground for destructive experiments and improbable stunts. [Jun 2010, p.64]

The deep career mode is even better when managing your own team, and the racing is superbly tactical.

A beautiful and beautifully-written narrative game that makes masterful use of its early modern setting. One of Obsidian's finest.

Night of the Raving Dead lacks a truly memorable, show-stopping sequence to really put it over the top, but it's Grade-Z(for zombie and zany)through and through. [May 2008, p.66]

The Wings of Power add-ons exist to place PC pilots in the cockpits of the world's most storied warplanes, and they do so with style and panache. [Nov. 2006, p.118]

A brilliant, massive sandbox of systems, albeit largely the same one Bethesda has been making for years.

An atmospheric, brilliantly written and acted detective thriller that tells a compelling story in a unique way.

Two Point Hospital is a brilliant management game, regardless of nostalgia.

With some nifty tweaks to the engine, A-class writing, and a dazzling implementation of the D&D 3rd Edition rules, ID II is like hauling out yesterday's burrito casserole and realizing that it tastes even better reheated. [Oct 2002, p.87]

Paradox’s biggest expansion yet brings Stellaris closer to its original promise with a stellar rework of internal politics and new endgame goals.

More of a refresh than expected, but still hands down the best modern way to conquer unknown space.

There’s a lot to parse, but understanding the nuances of Frozen Cortex reveals a deep strategic experience that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Frozen.

A gorgeous remake of a true classic that could, and maybe should, have tried to do a tiny bit more.

A beautifully designed, tough, and cheerful roguelike that rewards perseverance with a singular feeling of finesse.

A bold and ambitious sequel set in a satisfying, densely connected world.

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

Vampire Survivors has been an early access sensation, and its full release would be well-worth your time even if it wasn't the price of a large latte.

Pragmata's confidence in its punchy shootouts and old-school cool pays off, and the two leads roved their way into my heart despite a predictable plot.

A little obtuse in places, but otherwise this is the best new RPG in years. Demands your time and your brain, but it's worth it.

My favorite horror game of 2024, and one of the year's best narratives, period.

A gritty detective adventure that's nearly as clever and captivating as the original.

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

Another superb entry that feels tailor-made for the series' most dedicated players.

Deep, exciting and, for the first time, as human as real football, Football Manager 2014 has hit the back of the net.

The online action is remarkably lag-free via a broadband connection, and the game's built-in Voice Over IP component adds a welcome sense of community to the proceedings. [Apr 2005, p.64]

It's like, how much more Nidhogg could this be? And the answer is none. None more Nidhogg.

The genre-defining shooter holds up fantastically, despite an imperfect package.

Black Myth: Wukong blossoms with an eccentric cast of characters and expressive combat all wrapped up in the rich world of its source material.

Rocket League is fast, fun and relentlessly enjoyable. The best football game without feet.

This game has it all: Newtonian mechanics, intricate programmable logic, applied physics, and every other reason I decided to drop out of electrical engineering to become a film major.

Challenging and gorgeous, Ori is a classic platforming genre modernized and done strikingly well. Use a controller and save often.

A superbly crafted game that serves as storyteller, teacher, and concerned friend.

Entrenchment is an excellent micro-add-on that will suck you back into multi-hour games of Sins of a Solar Empire and introduce tons of new strategic options. [June 2009, p.86]

Simpler, with a more muddled story than SupCom, but still more complex and packing more huge mechs than any two other strategy games combined. [Apr 2010]

A deep, entertaining stealth sandbox with endless scope for mastery. You kept us waiting, Kojima, but it was worth it.

A great detective game gets a lavish remake and an improved expansion in one essential package.

With unconventional subtleties like plotting, matchmaking and title distribution, CK2 never cramps your creativity with mundane victory conditions. [May 2012, p.67]

Makes me wish more games featured adult-themed language and situations, because in this case, they actually add to the gritty feel and setting we've been delivered. [Dec 2003, p.107]

An awesome achievement, and if you can make the time investment, you'll be amply rewarded...If you have a high tolerance for micromanagement, you'll love the depth of gameplay. [Apr 2004, p.76]

A lovingly remastered version of a LucasArts classic. Day of the Tentacle is every bit as funny and entertaining as it was back in 1993.

It's still one of the best dungeon crawlers ever made, but now it's on PC.

Speedy, stylish, and effortlessly flexible, Tokyo Xtreme Racer captures the raw spirit of street racing.

A flavourful and inventive 4X full of incredible spells and engaging empire management.

I was able to breeze through Prey in around nine hours--probably because of how easy it is to resurrect yourself after death--making it a short but very sweet game. And definitely worth the wait. [Sep 2006, p.43]

AI wobbles remain, but this is an excellent racing game, and an authentic Formula One experience.

Sith Lords tends to exaggerate the best features and few flaws of its predecessor. Its environments are still linear and some are less polished, but the combat, character interactions, and story are all terrific. [Apr 2005, p.62]

A stylish lunicidal skater with peerless vibes and devilishly sleek flip tricks.

On par with its (excellent) predecessors, Shadow Gambit trades some focused design for deeply compelling piratical freedom.

The excellent story, still-superlative career and loot-based F1 World make for a convincing and gigantic F1 experience.