Brings a generous number of new elements to the Sims 2 core game. But you're forced to focus on the more mundane, tedious aspects of Sim life, and that makes it a bit too hard to enjoy all the cool new stuff. [May 2005, p.68]

Without Evermore, Ni No Kuni 2 would have been good. Because of it, it's one of the best JRPGs on PC.

Although its foundation in Civ 5 makes it familiar, Beyond Earth is full of interesting surprises that are pleasantly difficult to master.

The definitive PES on PC, if you can get a game online.

There's a few bolts that could be tightened up here and there, but Jagged Alliance is back in business.

A PC port that minimizes Halo: Reach's flaws and highlights its strengths, from the unique campaign to the joy of a clean headshot.

As a game, there's not a lot of challenge to Eden--but as an experience, it's well worth spending time with. [May 2012, p.67]

While the name may be slightly misleading, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a fantastic way to experience one of the best action games ever made.

A layered and engaging space opera that triumphs both on and off the battlefield.

This expansion has depth, it's incredibly challenging, and it highlights superlative production values in all the areas you'd expect, and even in some you wouldn't. [Feb 2003, p.83]

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

Not only the most accessible wargame on the market, but it's also a rich and fascinating tactical simulation. It's war on your computer. [Mar 2004, p.76]

You can probably find single-player games that are just as fun. [Jan 2005, p.84]

Wasteland 2 lives up to its legacy. It’s a game that has come full circle—from inspiration for Interplay’s Fallout, to spiritual successor for that franchise’s roots. This wasteland is deep and dark and dangerous, and a great place to get lost in.

Despite an annoying story mode, Anno 1800 is the biggest and best entry in the series to date.

Jamestown harkens back to an era when we played games just to get a high score--when beating a game this challenging actually earned you bragging rights. [Oct 2011, p.77]

Skip the tedious single-player campaign, jump into the great, fast-paced multiplayer fray--and hope it works on your PC. [Feb 2011, p.66]

Modern Warfare evolves the series for the better, but it could be so much more.

I'm not a big fan of the game's pacing, either. Kohan II can be agonizingly slow in the beginning, which on the one hand is nice because it discourages rushing, but on the other hand...well, it's boring. [Nov 2004, p.104]

Tense, haunting and beautiful. Inventory shenanigans aside, one of the best survival horror games yet.

An RPG with a great sense of fun and whimsy, as well as surprising depth to its character building.

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

Keeper is a gorgeous little package of tightly designed puzzles and cerebral platforming that showcases what makes Double Fine's games so uniquely special.

Ultros is easy enough that you rarely have to fully engage with its most interesting mechanics, and its writing struggles to effectively convey its lofty ideals. But the lines still connect together at the end, turning this metroidvania into a beautiful, circular experience of presence and balance. It’s a game that wants you to see the world differently when you finish it, and the way everything is connected. If nothing else, what other game lets you take a stroll through an umbilical cord?

An atmospheric collection of clever, surprising interactive short stories with a gorgeous retro aesthetic.

Another strong (yet stressful) management sim from Frontier Developments.

A slight and repetitive but cute farming game, Slime Rancher doesn't quite reach the heights of its sub-genre.

A beautiful 2D soulslike with enough bright ideas of its own to stand out.